Next to You
by holospartoi258 - Alpha 01
Summary: You might have thought that Rio was all over, and it was a straight path to the end right? That's not the case... but what matters most is the one helping you, the one right next to you.
1. Hold to your Heart

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:** I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but they haven't appeared yet, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_After having recently watched Rio, and fallen in love with it, I decided to make one FanFiction for the relatively sparse section here… I really can't retain the funny, light-heartedness of the characters like they did in the movie, so please bear with me._

_The story is T-rated… but I'm sorry. It's going to contain some sexual themes, but other than that I don't really think there SHOULD be a problem in this… Constructive criticism and praises are much appreciated, but if flamed I will mete out appropriate action; just a fair warning._

_So I hope you enjoy:_

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><p>~Jewel~<p>

I admit, I never actually figured out how I'd get myself into this situation.

It started when I was caged by that or… ortilogist? He didn't tell me why I was trapped… he didn't leave any warning as to what I was to expect. He just left me in that small space of artificial vegetation. I didn't want to experience that horrible feeling of being subject to something I didn't want to experience… I had to get out.

Then I met… him. I never actually saw one of my own species in front of me, which intrigued me, but… my mind wasn't on him. It was on escaping. It was to get out and be free, and my mentality was that he would help me…

As I learnt to my horror later, he was supposed to… mate… with me… and obviously I wasn't going to be a surrogate. Even at that moment I thought he was just pulling a fast one on me, like he wanted to be with me… but of course my only thought was freedom.

You could probably say that when smugglers caged me and Blu [which is still the most tantalizing word in my vocabulary…] and chained our feet together it was symbolic that I was going to be stuck with this fella… a flightless, clumsy, socially awkward bird as my companion. It wasn't easy, but he managed to show me how he envisioned life, which was strange nonetheless- that he loved reliance on others, the strange things that humans conjure, and of course how he really was… he was just so awkward that he amused me and intrigued me… it was like we were destined for each other.

But I wanted to be free. He wanted to go back to his owner, and we've already charted our own paths in a fork-way. We were only… chained-together birds. It was a physical magnet that was bound to be released…

And once it did, Blu… he left me. It wasn't like he was considering my new-found freedom, but rather he wanted to just go back… it tore me from the inside out, and with the bad mood lingering we parted ways. And… it felt like part of my heart was left with him… a complete stranger who I only got to know for 24 hours. It suddenly dawned on me that I had such a fun experience with him and I actually began to forget my past… and I could be myself around him. He thought I was a total outcast but he didn't know I had feelings too… and part of them belonged to him.

When he risked his life twice to save me… the light hit me. He wasn't any ordinary bird- he had some determination in him, not just any other bird who would just hug the ground and not taste the air… he had placed everything for me… and I wasn't sure what was inside me. Until I realised- I was going to be stuck in the predicament of being entrapped, but the truth is, somebody's gonna be there to help me, and that one was… Blu. And I realised… that the feeling that I possessed for him was something stronger than something platonic… no, it was… it was love.

I felt my heart pour out in that dying moment, which extended my face to peck his beak delicately… and who knew that it would give him life? Who knew that… he wasn't fooling around when he wanted to kiss me… that some part of him wanted to reach into me and penetrate my impregnable walls… to find out what I was like. He… he was in love with me. I wish I had seen that in the first place… I was so stupid.

Now however, I'm free to love him as he is, and he to love me as I am. We… were destined to be together; I guess I have destiny to thank for that. Now I have a companion to be by my side, and to protect me, and most of all, to love me. And that's not destiny; Blu completes my life. He wasn't a surrogate; he was my mate.

And I love him.

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><p>I am absolutely frustrated that my wing is broken, and it looks like this is going to take a while- the ortilogist told Linda that I would take a week to recover- 168 hours. I blame that stupid cockatoo for this; if I see him again I'll break his neck. But of course, I'm temporarily flightless, weak and vulnerable, and unlike my mate previously was I was totally aware of it. Mate… mate isn't the right word, it's more like… a 'boyfriend' in human terms. Nevertheless Blu has showed immense concern for my injury, often asking whether it was sore or numb. I know it was very sore- I touched it once with a little too much force, and I instantly regretted it; the pain was near unbearable- but I couldn't bear to tell Blu, since it would hurt my pride. I kept it to myself.<p>

Being entrapped in a vet room with other sickly birds and mentally unstable ones was inevitably a terrifying experience- but what horrified me most were the metal instruments that were meant to help, when they looked more like torture objects. Blu assured me that they would carry out their specified function, but I'm highly doubtful… but on the other hand I trust him.

Blu… his total innocence and gentleness drew me to him, and I knew that he wouldn't lie to me. He would protect me, he would put all devotion in me, and we loved each other… was that what love was? I'm not sure, but like I said I don't know how I got into this, and I love every moment of this.

Having Blu not go back to America was truly a relief for me- I wouldn't have to be geographically separated from him. And having his owner agree to let him stay with me for the week was better. The artificial vegetation chamber was to be used as my home- how that brings me bad memories…- and so I suffered from immense insomnia. Blu was safely asleep in his own hole, and the both of us were apart…

"Blu," I called out, and his eyes snapped open. Sensing I was troubled, he flew over to my tree hole. He looked a little sleepy but fully conscious as he studied me.

"What's wrong Jewel? Something troubling you?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I just can't sleep."

"Well…" Blu's face was deep in consideration, before he replied: "Why don't I sleep with you?"

His face marked to frantic desire to correct his previous statement as he registered my horrified expression and my violent choking of air. "I…I mean not like that! I mean just sleep… next to you. No; not like that! Erm…"

I couldn't help burst into laughter- he was so cute when he did that, with no dirty intention and being so innocent… that was one of the things I loved about Blu. His face was most certainly not amused, but appreciative of my laughter.

When I recovered, I said, "Well… sure. I'll sleep… next to you." Blu's face began to radiate a red colour as I made way for him to enter.

Admittedly his idea wasn't very logical- the hole had only enough space for the two of us, and it was rather cramped… and that meant I would be _very_ close to him, and even for… 'lovebirds' it was too close for comfort…

Blu began to sense this, but nevertheless he acted naturally as he watched me lay on the nest before following suit… and automatically I felt his warmth. It began to spread around me, giving me a pleasurably warm feeling… and I internally sighed. I scooted closer to him and wrapped my wings around him. When he shot me a confused look, I simply replied, "I'm cold," and that was partially true. He cuddled closer to me, experiencing my warmth as well and exhaling deeply.

Blu's aroma began to intoxicate my senses, and I began to relax…all the tension in me dissipated as I succumbed to my 'lovebird's' presence… I guess that's what frees me- it's not being free from the chambers of a cage, but to succumb into your love's presence…

And suddenly the terrifying nostalgia washed over me- and all the memories that I wanted to dispose of started to come back to me. In that instant, my contentment was killed by sorrow, and hot moisture began to veil my eyes…

Blu noticed this and wiped a feathery wing over my eye, careful to avoid my injured wing. "Why are you crying, Jewel?" His face was evidently marked with mental ache.

I pushed his wing away from my face, with a little too much force than intended. "I don't want to talk about it." I muttered matter-of-factly.

Blu shifted to my other side and stared into my face again. "Listen to me, Jewel. You don't have to talk about this. You can keep it to yourself… but I don't want you to hold it to your heart. I want you to hold me instead… I want you to just be with me, right next to me. Because… -" Blu paused and stared to the ground momentarily before looking up again with determination glinting in his eyes "-because I love you, Jewel."

Having recovered from being initially stunned, I swiped my face on my wings, trying to remove the tears welled in my eyes. Blu had a point- the past is history, and I shouldn't hold it to my heart. What I should be holding… was Blu. He was my life now, and my present. He was the one that… was destined to be mine.

"I love you too, Blu," I declared with all the sincerity in my heart, and with that I leaned forward and pressed my beak softly against his… and this time we weren't falling to our deaths. This time I input as much passion as I could… until it became too overpowering for Blu himself.

In a slightly desperate manner, my 'lovebird' pulled away, gasping for precious oxygen, the equivalent of pumping a cloud of aroma that filled my senses with lust…

"I never knew that you possessed such passion…" he muttered audibly to himself, and I smiled seductively. "Well, get ready for more." I whispered huskily, before going in for the kill.

To my dismay, Blu resisted me and put distance between us, his face visibly crimson no less. "Jewel, I…I don't t-…think that we're r-...r-… ready… for c-…co-…copulation." He galloped the last word quickly, and although I have no idea what that is [due to his dictionary-standard vocabulary], but I'm pretty sure I know what it means…

…and I was rather annoyed at this. "Oh come on, Blu," I teased. "We're mates anyway; what have you got to lose?"

Blu looked down, frowning at his feet. "But… I'm not sure if I want to be a… a _father_. It sounds so… so queer. I… I don't know if we should…"

I sighed. The hormones and lust I harboured now sailed away; insecurity coloured his voice. But… I couldn't hold it to my heart for long- I loved him, and if he decides not to… it was entirely fine by me.

"I understand, Blu…" I muttered, snuggling close to his body, closing my eyes to feel the warmth spread over me. "I'm fine with that…"

I feel Blu's wing drape over me in an embrace once again, and his beak press gently against mine, leaving behind a magnetic desire for more. "Thank you, Jewel."

"Don't let go."

"Never," was the last word I heard before I drifted off into slumber, in a voice that melted my heart, in a voice that would keep his promises and never betray me, in a voice that I would hold to my heart right next to me.

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><p><em>P.S. I won't be updating so soon… I'll be studying so it'll be a miracle if you see an update during this month. But I just decided to put it up anyway…<em>

_…psst! Now that you've read it, you should probably review it._

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	2. Take to the Sky

_PLEASE READ THIS WARNING: I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but they haven't appeared yet, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Ah fish paste; after I posted mine, 23 came up [as of 2/5], so now it's like way at the bottom of the category… LOL. xP Anyways, you guys are the bestest. This is the biggest success of a story that I ever wrote, because in a week I have gotten like, more than 400 hits. So if you're reading this, please check out Signal of the Mate or Reciprocation if you're into Sonic stuff as well. Yeah; I know it's lame that I'm advertising my stories here…_

_Anyways I shall respond to my wonderful reviewers:_

_**storylover789: Thank you so much. :D It's nice to see that I'm remembered… somehow. And I don't take Biology so hear me when I say- Whut. O_O**_

_**dynamiteboom12345: I know right? It was so cute… And now I have gathered scribbles when I had the free time to do it so… yeah. LOL. xP**_

_**GodOfFlash: Yeah, I know. It's always nice to look at one specific character's point of view so we get a better idea of it… So thanks. :)**_

_**jackw428: Thanks. :P I know it's kinda disappointing, but now I'm BACK~ so here's the next one. Haha.**_

_**RiP-Cynder: Heh-heh, thanks so much. ^^Hopefully I'll do my studies well… LOL**_

_**cntwolf- Well here you go, then... =)**_

_**Battleshiplid- Thanks. =] Well here's more for ya.**_

_**The Sole Survivor- Aw… thanks so much. Anyways I have continued; I really appreciate that, though. I thought I couldn't keep in character for Blu and Jewel, but hopefully I can. xD **_

_I'd also like to thank **LawrenceRAMoneybag** for his art based on my story… you rock. \m/ ^o^ \m/_

So here I go again:

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><p>I awoke to sound of an unfamiliar electronic beep that pierced my eardrums, dragging me out of my slumber and into reality. The noise seeped into my nerves, and I scanned the area for the source of annoyance. I found it immediately centimetres away from me- it was my lovebird, his eyes wide and his beak opening robotically to emit the buzz frequently. It was funny- in a comical and a queer sense.<p>

I was sure that he meant to jolt me from my peaceful sleep… and in accusation I squinted into his eyes. "What in the-"

"Wakey, wakey, _mi amor_." His voice was coloured with joke. Irritated, I said in a relatively loud volume, "What was _that_ for Blu? I want to sleep."

The radiation from Blu's expression faded away into confusion. "But it's almost noon. And I thought it would be both creative and amusing to imitate an alarm clock."

"That's Spanish, Blu, not Portugeuse. But what in the world is an a…a… what is _that_?"

His confusion tuned into… an indescribable emotion. It was the type of face that shouted, "Are you really _that_ dumb?" but what really came out of his mouth were stutters: "…w-…well, Jewel, the alarm clock… i-… it's a device designed to automatically wake a human up from his sleep at a specific time. I… I was only joking, Jewel, y-…you didn't have to put it so harshly…" His face deflated into guilt.

Blu looked away in discomfort, and suddenly I realised what happened. It was a mini version of what happened in Luiz's Garage- a total misunderstanding that escalated to an emotional meltdown. This time Blu was more… submissive into my volatile temperament, and he avoided me… which struck me with electrifying guilt. Here I was hankering over a trivial matter, and for a selfish cause too- it was to be eradicated.

So I relaxed myself, submitting to what Blu's jesting intentions. On seeing this, Blu himself relaxed too. "Well, Blu, I hate to say this, but we awake when Nature tells us to, so we don't need any alarm cocks like humans do so-"

My voice trailed off as I registered Blu's horrific expression, as if I made an inappropriate innuendo or something… his mouth was wide enough for my wing to fit in, and his pupils shrank into his eye whites… and I didn't know what happened.

With a face that could pass off as a Red Macaw's, he stammered out, "J-…Jewel… i-…it's an alarm c...clock, not a… an a…alarm c…c…cock… oh, cheese and sprinkles…"

His face was priceless- whatever laughter I repressed from initial confusion over his reaction burst forth into raucous hysterics. Judging by his utter embarrassment, I'm pretty sure the word 'cock' meant more than the short form of 'cockerel'… at least in human terms. I played along to further discomfort him. "~giggling~ Okay… gotcha big boy…" I stroked my wing over his chest, and he stared at me in terror, trembling all over and his cerulean feathers veiled with moisture…

"You're hungry," Blu muttered, relieved by the salvation that my unprecedented stomach-rumble provided to change the subject. "Come on; we should go to Linda now."

With my approving nod, he grasped me firmly with my claws and took off in flight, taking to the sky majestically and circling the air to prepare landing. However, Blu's boastful side must have gotten ahead of him- he begun to somersault airborne and fly straight into walls, only to narrowly avoid them by sharply turning off. I rolled my eyes; but nevertheless adrenaline began to pulse through me as the wind rushing by me filled me with the same exhilaration that flying freely gave, only this time… only this time was being guided by my lovebird, and being intoxicated by his sweet aroma, and I could be submissive to the joy of freedom…

A while later I decided to throw him off track- I twisted my head back for my beak to converge with his… and suddenly another exhilaration filled me. It was a more passionate sensation, that didn't pulse through me but rather filled me completely with a tingling feeling… after Blu had recovered from the initial shock he began to delve deeper into the kiss, and his tongue begun to excavate into my cavern. I obliged, and soon our tongues began to their own samba… and I don't know how long we kissed. I just didn't want to stop…

…

…

…until we crashed.

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><p>I shall be brutally honest with you- I despise humans. The agonisingly real stereotype I possess for them is that they're no more than destroyers, torturers, and above all thieves of our freedom. Having… a first-hand experience… I hold a mixture of empathy and grudge for all pet birds. It's disgusting that humans take advantage of such innocent creatures. But it's also incredible that birds are naïve enough to trust humans that they neglect any vital survival skills in the outside world. I've found this in Blu, and believe me; I will not suffer the wrath of the flightless anymore, period.<p>

On the other hand Blu and Linda are part of diamond-rare exceptions to my stereotypical impression- which to me is a respectable relationship since they have their own interests at heart. But interestingly enough I made the discovery of the so-called 'blueberry pancake', which is Blu's favourite, apparently. On the surface they were circular pieces of dough polka-dotted with blue spots, and I have to agree with the… o-r-n-i-t-h-o-l-o-g-i-s-t when he comments that it isn't our natural diet. But I admit, I went insanely addicted when I first sampled it- I even managed to take a glimpse of Blu's stunned face.

Eating in the presence of humans was never comfortable for me, and the fact that whatever _very_ unplatonic lust I mustered during our flight refused to subside… it wasn't very helpful. Part of my self-control snapped when at one opportune moment I noticed the absence of both humans, not matter how temporary it was, and I don't want to be descriptive… I knocked him down and practically ate his neck feathers out [and YES I did manage to abstain; sheesh]. I couldn't actually care less when I noticed Blu's initial… _very_ pleased face turn to horror as he muttered, "Err… Jewel… _Linda's watching_."

Subsequently an awkward conversation about us as 'mates' sparked, and at one point of time I learnt the reason why Blu was 'summoned' next to me… it was a blow to my soul, and I released an animalistic shriek in disbelief. I should have known better than to let my life be decided by human intervention, and a heated debate about this went on for a while… until Blu convinced me-with all his heart juices poured out for me- that he loved me… which I guess was true from the beginning…

To be honest, I'm relieved that Linda has let us get some freedom to the outside world- another clear sign that she and Blu must have some telepathy skills- since we've proven to a certain extent that as long as we were next to each other we could overcome anything, topped with Blu's flight skills… when Blu informed me of this piece of information, I immediately signalled for Blu to take me to the sky again- not only just to be unbound by the restraints of concrete walls but also to pay our gratitude [and possibly part of a daily visit] to Rafael, Nico and Pedro.

"I bet you never had the opportunity to experience this thrill before, huh Blu?" The rush of the wind ruffled my feathers, dragging them to follow the wind. I said these words as I twisted my head up to meet his eyes. However, he looked straight ahead as he grinned in approval, trying not to dispose of his concentration lest he crash-landed with me in his claws… again.

"I must admit I was wrong, though- it really _is_ a vitalizing experience, to race the wind and take high into the sky… I didn't know what I was missing."

"Don't you mean you were missing _me_?" I added, and he emitted one dry chuckle. "Yeah."

"But…" my voice trailed off momentarily, trying to picture Blu's life before Rio. "…how _was_ your life back in Mi-… in Mita-… in Minisoda?"- Although at this point Blu did not crack a sound, but internally I could imagine him in hysterics of my poor memory of trivial names- "Is every day just blueberry pancakes and nothing interesting at all?"

As Blu launched into reminiscing his past, I was proven that my impression of his life was accurate- it was a mess of trivial things that humans whiled away, with nothing that I would classify as entertaining besides his massive obsession for reading books. When I questioned this, he shot me a quick sharp look and told me that books are the 'window to the world', with enough information to last a lifetime… of which I agree to a certain extent but from all the different types of books that he scours through… it made me wonder why he never wanted something more.

However his last sentence caught my attention. "So how about you? Don't you have a story to tell?" Blu's voice marked desperation to steer off from his personal life, but also with good intentions. However no words came out of my beak as Memory Lane sucked me into its despairs again, taunting me with the memories of the past, with no option to be released and take to the mind's freedom again… my eyes fell and whatever spark this conversation lit was stomped to the dust, and after a minute's silence sans the gentle flapping of Blu's wings, I could picture the guilt streak into his mind.

"I…I'm sorry, I…I shouldn't have hit you where it hurts most, I…I shouldn't have pestered you, I…I…" his voice trailed off as he tried to imagine the sorrow my face displayed. With hot tears welled in my pools, I sniffed and looked at him again. "It's fine, Blu. You didn't mean it; I…I probably shouldn't have over-reacted. I held my past to my heart again…"

Suddenly he closed his wings and dived landwards, accelerating in speed until we safely landed. He then looked me straight into his eyes. "Look at me now, Jewel- I love you. I love you so much that it hurts me when you hurt- I want to assure you that I'll be there whenever you feel down, right next to you, right by your side… and I hope you can remember me instead of… whatever horrendous past you had… because I love you."

As I took in this statement Memory teleported me to a new realm filled with the lesser moments that recently occurred… a vivid recollection of the samba with Blu struck me, of which I recalled feeling this strange sensation that I could now define as love… to be free and yet to be with your partner, to take to the sky but to be guided, to escape the haunting memories with the aid of your mate…

"I will."I whispered huskily, and without hesitation I dove for Blu's beak, to experience the luscious taste of him again and also effectively knocking him over again. I lost track of time as our tongues played with each other and just lay there right next to each other, savouring the delicacy right before their eyes…

Hot shame seared through me as my auditory senses detected a rough clearing of a throat, as we jolted up in unison to stare sheepishly at the Toucan who disrupted what a human would call 'making out'.

"I was going to greet you," Rafael said with a calm expression. "But then I realised I should apologise for having interrupted a… a _mating ritual_." His statement only served to put fuel to the fire of embarrassment that was displayed in our reddened faces.

"N-…Nothing of the sort, Rafael." Blu stuttered. I rolled my eyes. _My hero_, I thought. Blu continued: "But wha-… what are you doing here?"

"You're standing on my virtual property," he replied as he signalled to the sky above him. I followed his direction, and above me was a wooden cubic structure with idiotically obvious words: 'RAFAEL'S PLACE'. I struck my face with my wing at my utter stupidity, one of which Blu would have called 'face-palm'.

"Oh," was all that Blu could mutter, still frozen in the initial shock of having his moment blown, I figured. Rafael's face suddenly brightened up. "But hey, at least you solved your problems." This served to choke out a sheepish chuckle from the both of us as I looked to the ground to pick at an invisible spot. Rafael burst into uproarious laughter at our response; and even though I admit it was priceless, I internally glared at him.

"What're you waiting for, lovebirds? Let's take." Rafael invited- and this shocked me, since how in the name of the Rio Statue could I ever get up there. Luckily Blu informed him of my injury and my 'clear lack of capability to reach such a great height without the aid of someone else' and that we 'needed time', Rafael left us off for a while, in 'respect of our privacy'.

Blu looked into my eyes again, and he smiled gently. "Don't worry, Jewel. I'll help you. I'll be right next to you, _mi amor_. Always."

I smiled back into his glistening eyes. " You promise?"

"I promise." He whispered as he leaned forward to kiss me again, as I tried not to let the sheer sweetness of his taste overwhelm me and take me to the sky again…

I pulled away after some seconds. "Thank you, Blu." I muttered in response and pulling him into a warm embrace…

"And that's Spanish Blu. _Again."_ And in a most anti-climatic fashion, he grunted and smacked his wing into his face in a hard 'face-palm'.

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><p><em>…I know it's a short update but HEY at least I did SOMETHING… Anyways I'd get back to it someday in late-May after my exams… sigh…<em>

_And you see those words? That r-… rev-… r-e-v-i-e-w button? Yeah. Press it._

P.S. NOOOO! Two point five days after updating [4/5] my story is getting knocked back down... what are you people DOING to me? :(

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	3. Criancas

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but they haven't appeared yet, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox.

Hey everybody I'M BACK~~ Yes, this story ain't dead so keep your hats on. Sometimes I feel like such a d0uche. Anyways I've had 1000 hits for this story in total, so THANK YOU GUYS!~~ XD So here's my treat to you. [By the way, I'm gonna have trouble capturing Nico and Pedro's characters… sigh…]

So in response to my wonderful reviewers:

**Elyahu: Thanks so much! :) And so I have.**

**Zacarais: Thank you very much. And I know; it's always refreshing to look at first point-of-view, right? Haha. :P**

**ODSTSpartan: Aww. That's nice. :,) I know right? Anyways thanks so much; I'll look at your story if I have the time. =]**

**Kingfish225: Thanks. =) And, LOL, yeah Jewel is KINDA hell-bent on mating, but hey, everybody has lust for their love, right? ;)**

**SenorIdioteque: Thank you; actually to be honest I never knew how to portray Jewel, but I've got some telepathy connection with Blu… LOL xD And I've tried to throw in humour here and there and make it –in Pedro's voice- awkward. And NOW I HAVE! So Whatcha gonna do? HIT ME? LOL**

**Battleshiplid: Yeah, that was what I wanted. Memory will play a huge part in this story… and thanks; again I wasn't sure how to portray some characters here, but still, there're still plenty more to go… sigh. Well here's more… =P**

**GodOfFlash: Thanks so much for review. Anyways I've already explained it in the PM, so yeah. XP**

**RiP-Cynder: Thanks so much. :D I guess that's what I wanted to do; it's kinda hard to do that in first point-of-view, but yeah. :P**

**storylover789: Haha maybe. But I'm from Asia ~jerks thumb to the right~ so I don't have high school. LOL. I probably won't get that. XD Anyways thank you, and good luck with your story. =)**

**Bane Reiko: Of course! Haha… {Blu: Hey; who're you calling a dope you… you… you DOPE!} Ah… X) Anyways here's the much-awaited update, LOL.**

**The Sole Survivor: Yeah, you were so hurry that you pressed the slash by mistake. Haha LOL just joking… XDDD Yeah, they're so CUTE together right?~~ And yeah, apparently Jewel just can't get enough. LOL :D So here you go.**

**cntwolf: Whoa EASY THERE… LOL I didn't mean to make you wait; I have this thing called a LIFE which I'm sure you have too LOL. :)))) Anyways thanks so much. XD**

Hopefully I can update these things QUICKER…

Anyways sorry to keep you guys waiting so here I go:

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><p>To this date I am unable to fathom how my mindset has been so significantly altered. My will before was to fly a lone bird and let my wings take me wherever the wind wished to, but here I am, with a mate I could depend on and hold on to for the rest of my life. My desire now was not to be solitary, but to be next to my 'mate' Blu, and to put it cleanly start a family with him. Even though my encounter with her was brief, I looked up to Eva, who had such a caring mate by her side with a gargantuan family. I longed for such a strong female character and an endearing mate- it was like as if she and Rafael were a match-made in heaven.<p>

What I would evade, however, is to stretch so far as to have such a multitude of hatchlings [I figured this was a reason why Blu wanted to abstain], where an unspoken rule existed that keeping still was against the law. As much as I respect Eva's harsh discipline methods, her children weren't exactly showing the successful results. I was pretty sure this was why Rafael required such a huge place to reside in- it was because of his numerous rambunctious and hyperactive offspring. Sometimes, I swear Rafael and Eva go at it like rabbits without a care in the world [not to risk sounding like a hypocrite].

The moment we entered Rafael's tree-house [which apparently just HAPPENED to be lying around] we were mauled by the wrath of 18 Toucan hatchlings. It wasn't funny; it took two geological ages for them to settle down, leaving us to catch our breath in desperation for oxygen, a cloud of cerulean and azure feathers drifting slowly to the ground. As the hatchlings were sent down to the ground to wait, I made a mental note- I don't care what aphrodisiac the ortilogist attempts to give, or whatever Blu says, I will never have a sea of children like this.

Eva greeted us warmly and congratulated us for 'bondage', of which puzzled me at first, but then it struck me- she had espied us eating our beaks out, of which flooded my senses with hot shame. However her sincerity and lack of mocking intentions was evident as she didn't push for any further details like a stereotypical gossipy moron, thus I accepted her comments graciously.

Ironically however, it was Nico and Pedro who couldn't keep their beaks shut. Of course they had decided to eavesdrop and second Eva's statement by pestering us for the events that had succeeded the point of which Blu released an exodus of feathered beings into the sky. Eva silenced them after a minute of incessant rambling, but Blu relented to inform the other four adult birds in the vicinity, covering Nigel's death, my wing's injury, and of course that memorable kiss that I planted on his beak that stirred the gears of his heart that permitted him to take to the sky… as Blu told this fairy-tale-come-true everyone including me was mesmerized…

Nico sniffled, wiping a tear that had formed through the course of the story. And while he was lost for words Pedro spoke up: "Wow that's one heckaffa story there. But uh…" he was deep in thought momentarily before saying, "…I don't know how one simple kiss would've got old Bluey here to fly." Rafael shook his head and replied: "Aiy yaiy yaiy, Pedro, haven't I said it before? Obviously Blu _ama _Jewel-" he gestured to me with one wing- "so with her he could FEEL it… right in the _coração_." He gestured to his heart. {ama = loves; coracao = heart}

Nico intercepted: "Anyways, it's so good to see my favourite couple finally mates! It's such a happy ending!" This caused me and Blu to shift nervously- we hadn't become technical 'mates' yet, and Blu had no clue as to how to voice this out. "Umm…w-…well…" he stammered, but he couldn't finish his sentence.

"Ah, no need to be ashamed, Bluey-old buddy!" Nico piped up. "I mean every guy has to do it _sometime!"_ I glared at him, furious at his demeaning effect against me, and although I could sense Blu's desire to defend me, he suppressed his temperament.

"Well, we haven't. We're not going to mate yet."Blu stated matter-of-fact, and suddenly an awkward silence dropped, although I had no clue as to why- if we wished to abstain then shouldn't it stay that way?

Rafael cleared his throat abruptly. "Aiy, Blu… you can't wait forever! Don't you want a _família_? To love and keep forever? " He exhaled deeply, and before I could counter that, Eva spoke up. {familia = family}

"Rah-fah-ell, my dear, you should always know that if a woman wants to keep away than the man has to respect her decisions… like if I say I want to stop at 18 we WILL stop at 18." Her last statement diverted off track as she gave a cold stare at him. Rafael responded by rolling his eyes.

"Rafael, just because I don't want to mate doesn't mean I won't love Jewel any less," Blu said, drawing me close to him. "Jewel will still be my lovebird no matter what." He smiled at me lovingly, of which I returned before leaning forward for our beaks to converge. This drew the stares of the other birds, but honestly, I didn't care…

We were interrupted by Pedro clearing his throat [of who had the patience of a mustard-seed], and he announced: "Anyways, we're going to the same samba place as last time; if you guys wanna come, go ahead."

Before I could enthusiastically reply, Blu said: "Um, Nico, I think I made it clear the last time that I'm not really _into_ samba, so I'll-" I nudged Blu angrily, and he stared me with an expression that whined "What did _I_ do?" Obviously he was never the social type of bird- one should always know to respect another bird's personal likes.

This comment earned my lovebird four pairs of accusing glares, of which sent goose-bumps rippling through his body. Pedro said to Nico, "Nico, remind me one day to talk some sense into that fella," and his yellow friend nodded.

As Nico and Pedro left in a huff, Rafael and Eva turned their attention to the both of us. "By the way, since you're not going out, could you do us a favour?"

After Rafael's immense kindness in the helping of us removing the chain, I was confident that whatever intensity of this favour was going to more than make up for it. Thus I readily challenged: "Sure."

"I need you to babysit our kids."

I didn't catch Blu's reaction, but I violently choked on nothingness in utter disbelief. Whatever confidence that I had mustered in myself completely vanished in that instant. I would rather tear my vocal chords out than tolerate the menacing torture that is 18 little ones all rampaging at us. It wasn't feasible, let alone possible, and suddenly I felt weak in my bones.

I looked at Blu in desperation- his eyes stared into empty space; his pupils shrank by a significant amount and his whole body frozen. When he regained the power to speak, he stuttered: "U-Us? Look a-after t-those mon-…. _children_ of yours?"

Rafael and Eva glared coldly at Blu for the second time in twenty minutes, before Eva replied, "Yes. You help us look after our kids as we go out for the night. It's the least you can do for Rah-fah-ell helping you guys with your errands while _I_ had to look after them for 24 hours."

"I know it's a tough job-" _gee you think?_ "But I beg of you, _por favor_? You're our only hope in the whole of Brazil! Please?" { por favour = please}

Blu sighed in defeat; logic had overpowered him. He looked at me, and I smiled back in response, to reassure that we could do anything together. Besides, this would be _perfect_ training for the future…

"Fine." Blu's response was monosyllabic.

Eva smiled. "Thank you."

Rafael then looked at his mate seductively, pulling her closer to him. "Ah, my juicy littlee mango, now we can _go!_ We can have the day all to ourselves…" Eva returned his look reciprocally, her wing fondling with his body. "Indeed, my tangy papaya… we can finally go _todo o caminho_ tonight…" Her voice trailed off as Rafael pulled her into a long kiss, leaving me disgusted [the hypocrite I am] and Blu mesmerized by the power of love. {todo o caminho = all the way}

I cleared my throat, and this time Rafael and Eva gave _me_ the angry look. "Well have a safe flight, then." I muttered, and I felt a hard nudge from my lovebird, silencing me.

"Thank you, by the way. We'll be back by night," Eva said with a smile, as she and her mate spread their wings and took off.

Blu hollered out: "TRY NOT TO MAKE _ANOTHER_!"

* * *

><p>Even if Rafael and Eva's children are young and mentally immature, they're still supremely intelligent. For example, they have observed the following premises: one, their parents glided right above their heads without even a good-bye and two, a pair of nervous Blue Macaws are staring at them at distance. Therefore, the conclusion is that these two strangers are their babysitters, and this leads to: one, a ten-second silence subsequently followed by two a holler of declaration:<p>

"GET THEM!"

If you think being attacked by 18 hatchlings is nothing, let me give you something: one hatchling is about one-third the size of its parent. That's 6 adult birds going at you, with all the brute force of 18 individual hatchlings pulling your feathers out like food and occasionally being flung by some supernaturally strong hatchling and crashing headfirst with the greeting of some mud.

Of course, energy isn't infinite and the hatchlings eventually get bored of treating us like beach balls. But apparently all hell broke loose- they scattered helter-skelter. Let me tell you, in case you hit your head on the way here, that we birds can't split up into 18 beings[I am still ground-bound], and to round up 18 hatchlings flying in any direction you can think of is as easy as rounding up all the salt in the sea. If anything I blame Eva's incapability to keep her legs closed. And of course I'm saying this in rage; so did your neck arrange a meeting with my claws or what?

Eventually, and miraculously, all 18 are lassoed back to their places after one eternity, leaving us to catch our breaths. Some part of me nudged me to tell me that this was only the beginning, but honestly, I don't know what could be worse that now.

Suddenly I felt a light tugging at my broken wing, and I peered at the young Toucan. "Something wrong?" I asked the impatient hatchling.

"Miss, we're bored. Got anything else for us to do _besides_ torturing other people?"

It took all my self-control not to claw the brat's eyes out, and I racked my brains for something that would be entertaining and time-eating for them… all was in vain.

It got to the point where I was panicky enough to ask Blu for suggestions. Fortunately for him it took him less than a millennium to think of a solution. "I know."

To the curiosity of that hatchling and me, he grabbed a stick, carving out a line in the ground. He did three more to form a square, and he begun to create more and more, along with filling each one with numbers…

"Mister, what are those?" the young one asked.

"Those are squares of which you're supposed hop on all of these with one foot, progressing on until you reach the end. But first you have to put this rock-"he gestured to a rock previously non-existent now resting on square two- "here and you're supposed to jump over it. Then you go back and then put the rock on another square, and repeat. All you have to do is keep on one foot, only that foot is allowed in each square, and for something like that-" he gestured to a point where the pattern of individual squares was disrupted by two squares placed next to each other- "you use both feet. Try it."

Hesitantly, the hatchling studied the pattern of squares momentarily, digesting what Blu had said. Then, after a minute of consideration, he jumped with one foot on the first square, as he readied himself to leap across the pebble to the third square. Finally he made the gracious leap over the menacing stone over flawlessly. Beaming, he effortlessly went through the course without any difficulty.

"That's not so tough," he said arrogantly.

"Why don't you try it with two stones?" Blu offered, and the hatchling scuttled off to return back with another rock. He laid it on the fourth square, and he made the first hop. He again leaped over the first rock easily, this time however with far less energy and by the time he made the third leap, his stamina failed him and he ended up crashing to the ground. As he got up sputtering mud out like a firework, he kicked the pattern that Blu had so marvellously and painstakingly carved out.

"Gah," was all he could manage, and Blu wordlessly grinned at me in triumph. Then he helped the hatchling up and tried to re-carve the indentations into the ground.

"I call it hopscotch, kiddo." Blu said. "It wasn't so easy when I was a little hatchling like you."

What Blu had performed was a miracle- five minutes later the same pattern of indentations were repeated all over the muddy ground where several hatchlings competed to complete the course with one stone placed in a variable square each time, and some with two stones that could also be placed in different places. It kept them occupied for a long time, of which I thought this was a near impossible feat.

"I call it hopscotch," Blu said, seeing me admire his handiwork.

I looked at him in confusion. "But what's scotch then?"

Blu chuckled lightly. "There's no scotch, Jewel. It's just called that."

I reeled back in horror. "Then that's a dumb name! You can't just _name_ something without having any meaning in it…"

"Well, humans do it all the time. They can name their children some random name just because it sounds nice. Everything's all just about making it nice on the surface."

His statement perked me over something that I wished to discuss with him, but never had the guts to bring it out: "By the way, Blu, when are we going to have children?"

Blu was caught stunned by it, and he choked aggressively for a while before he hesitantly answered: "I-…I haven't figured that out yet."

Dismay coloured my expression, with a hint of impatience. "Blu, we can't abstain forever. We're going to be mates anyway… there's no reason why-"

"I know we are, Jewel." Blu said this adamantly, but his tone dropped immediately after. "It's just… you know I'm a planner-sort and I really…. I really don't know what we are going to do after that. I don't even know if I'm a good father… and besides, I won't love you any less just because we're not mates." His eyes started to glimmer in the setting sun, and his eyes seemed to stare distantly into the ground.

My firm tone didn't waver. "Blu, we should at least try… I mean look at Rafael and Eva. They're so close that it'll take a crow bar to separate them… because they have a family. I really wish to see a hatchling call me 'Mama'… and besides once we mate, we'll become mates for life…"

My voice trailed off, the only sound for next few minutes the hatchlings' noises of innocent childhood playing. No matter how rambunctious a hatchling is, I realised, he's still a hatchling and to you he's the most precious thing you could ever have.

"Alright," he finally managed out, and immediately the darkness in me vanished to be replaced by the light of happiness. I smiled lovingly at him, and he too returned it, with no sign of insincerity or being forced to, pulling me into a warm embrace.

"Thanks, Blu," I said before pecking him on the beak. He chuckled lightly before replying: "You know, my precious gem, I guess I was making excuses… because let's face it; we're the only two Macaws left… we'll have to save the species anyway. But most importantly,"- he gazed into my eyes- "it's because I love you." And he drew me in for a deep, passionate kiss, and again the lust that I harboured threatened to burst forth… but of course, it had to be repressed, since we were in the midst of hatchlings.

But one day, we'll be surrounded by our own. One day.

* * *

><p>"So how was taking care of our kids, guys?" Rafael asked rhetorically.<p>

"Tiring. The day just felt so long and hard." Blu said, sighing in exhaustion.

"THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!" Pedro yelled, and he and Nico slapped wings, bursting into hilarious laughter. Looking at my confused expression, Blu, having recovered from his irritancy from that comment, explained it to me, and apparently according to him, my reaction was priceless, and utterly lagged.

"Anyways," Eva interrupted, diverting the conversation back on track. "Thank you, Blu and Jewel. We thought you'd get gagged and stuffed into bowling ball bags or something."

"Thank you, my dear, for further demeaning their impression on our kids," Rafael said with a heavy sigh.

"Oh puh-lease, Rah-fah-ell, your impression of them is probably way worse than the two Macaws." Eva refuted, keeping Rafael's beak shut. She then turned to us. "But how did you manage to keep them so disciplined anyway? They're living hell."

"Well, Blu invented this game called hopscotch, and it managed to keep them occupied." I spoke up. For the next few minutes, Blu gestured to the patterns in the mud [of which Pedro commented, "I thought they were crop circles or something,"] and he briefly described the rules of hopscotch, as well as adding that it wasn't an original idea; Linda and he used to do it all the time.

"Yeah, but where's the scotch?" Nico impatiently asked. "You might as well call it 'hopsquare' or something. Why scotch?"

After Blu shrugged, Rafael suddenly perked up. "Oh, by the way, Blu, I brought you something." Then he flew down briefly before shortly emerging slowly with a plastic bag of some brownish liquid and placing it on the floor.

"What's that, Blu?" I asked my lovebird after registering his horrified expression.

"Why," Nico intercepted. "It's scotch! We saved some for you. After some-"he skipped this part after catching the combined glares of Rafael and Eva- "Rafael said that you got to try it. It's _really_ disorientating, whew!"

"Whoa whoa whoa, wait." I said. "So _this_ is scotch? What kind of person names a game after an alcoholic drink?"

Blu declined Rafael's so-called 'gift'. "No thanks, Rafael. I don't drink alcohol."

"Oh come on, Blu, be accommodative. Just a sip, _isso é tudo_." Rafael encouraged. {isso e tudo = that's all}

Blu hesitated at first, but after approval from me he took a venture and grasped the clean plastic bag before gulping all of the scotch in one gulp. The moment he swallowed it, he cringed as he tried to endure whatever power the liquid possessed.

"Hard stuff," Blu muttered, choking for a while.

"Well, it's late. You guys should probably be going," Rafael suggested, of which I immediately obliged. I didn't want to stick around to 'babysit' those hatchlings of wrath.

I looked at Blu, who to my horror was disorientated and half-conscious. Indignant at the person who allowed alcohol to be edible, I went to Blu to support him. "Blu! Are you okay?"

He looked at me half-dazed. "Okay? I'm more okay than ever! That scotch is just so good…"

I turned to Rafael for help. He shrugged, to my dismay. "I really can't do much here. He's gonna be like this for the rest of the night."

"What night? I don't see no night." Blu said, even though there was evidently an absence of light outside. I started to panic; Linda had instructed us [being the paranoid person she is] to be back by night, or she would call the police. Blu was my only way back and he was drunk. Just how bad is scotch?

"Don't worry, Jewel. We'll help you escort old-Bluey back." Nico said, referring to him and Pedro. I sighed; it was our only option. Linda's place isn't so far away, anyway… but it would be difficult with Blu in his drunken state. I looked at him, and for the fifth time he bumped into the wall.

All I have to say is this: I hope Rafael was wrong.

* * *

><p><em>Yup. I know I'm a lazy d0uche, but I promise the next chapter will be better. Really. Pinkie Swear.<em>

_And PLEASE review. I had trouble finding inspiration for this chapter… sigh… seriously you guys are the only reason why I'm writing. Really._

_P.S. Criancas is Portugeuse for 'children'. Sorry for that misunderstanding.  
>P.S.S. GAHHHH My story's been knocked down again! What are you people doing seriously? -_-<em>

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	4. Title of the Mate

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but they haven't appeared yet, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Sigh… I really don't like the stupid traffic here. It's like every time I update it gets knocked down almost immediately… this story has about 2,000 hits so far, but I expected way more… sigh…_

**Birdguy432: Thanks. :) Obviously it would've looked better with more words but… meh.**

**Feathers Apart: Well I've updated, so HOORAY! XD It's the holidays so… yeah. Anyways as a fellow FanFictioner you should know the greater pros of first-person-POV... don't worry man; you can do it. =]**

**RiP-Cynder: Thank you so much. That was sort of the point I brought in hopscotch… LOL :P**

**Zacarais: Hi dude… yeah sorry I didn't update it yesterday… would've saved more hassle. Oh well. So I continue… [Yeah, don't think Blu really came up with it; LOL]**

**Elyahu: I know right? Everyone in my class uses it, and when someone does, it creates a lot of groans and moans of exasperation… :D And you're welcome.**

**cntwolf: You're very welcome sir. :] I know how you feel about the whole translating thing; sucks doesn't it?**

_By the way guys I noticed that now you can add the character thingy here! :D So you can filter this by 'Blu' and 'Jewel'... meh I think I'm kinda late. Oh well. ~_~_

_Anyways let's just go with it:_

* * *

><p>I always wondered why alcohol was so bad. Sure it makes one disorientated and unable to think clearly, but I never really considered the aftermath. I couldn't delve deeper to see the consequences of certain things, always assuming that the number of consequences for every action was few and finite. Besides I was quite sure the pros outweighed the cons- you get to be blocked out from whatever you do, and you can just be yourself…<p>

As punishment, the Rio Statue has decided to punish me with my 'mate' becoming drunk, to force me to experience the wrath of drunkenness effects. My previous conjecture was proven to be horribly wrong- incessant mumbling made my 'mate's maturity level plummet to that of a hatchling, and his refusal to budge made it all the more physically challenging. It didn't help that his premature ramblings were punctuated with violent choking sessions and of the course the occasional slip into unconsciousness. Half of the time I was frustrated with his mutterings and also simultaneously concerned for his health that seems to be more erratic than the weather here. I made another mental note, never to have hard liquor ever again.

"Where the 'ell am I goin'?" Blu asked, his voice sounding like a cross between an amateur cowboy and a five-year-old trying to resist his mother. I rolled my eyes; this is the umpteenth time of which he said this. And so I combated it with the usual answer:

"Home."

"Home? Home is where the heart is…" And suddenly he broke with great audacity into an awful song, and to accompany that he was wicked off-key: "_I'M GOING HOME! BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE I BELONGGG! AND WHERE YOU LOVE HAD ALWAYS BEEN ENOUGH FOR MEEE!"_

"Shhh! Do you want to be heard by the whole of Rio?" I shushed, yanking at his unsteady body to move ahead. The rest of the birds didn't even bother to look back; they were too exasperated. But to be honest this was all Rafael's fault, he should have never offered Blu something he couldn't take.

He looked into the air with a comically nonchalant look before looking at me to answer: "MAYY-be!" He then broke off and rushed ahead of me.

"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, SUCKAS!" Startled, I ran after him while the rest tried to catch up to him in the air… until they found him rubbing his head a distance from a tree. The impact must have been harsh, I figured. All I could get from him was: "Lighty light lighties…"

Sometimes I swear that Linda is as paranoid as… as Blu- the moment she catches sight of Blu [I didn't even have to knock] she rushes outside faster than an Olympic sprinter, and immediately knows judging by his dazed expression and the way of which he squawks loudly upon being touched. She looks at the five other birds demanding for an answer, and Rafael and I stare at the ground in guilt. Fortunately [and for a human] she is comparatively forgiving and she tried to consult Tulio for a diagnosis. And he gives the expected- apparently alcohol works on everyone just the same: drink, get drunk [which is more like a temporary brain tumour, in all honesty], and wake up the next day sober.

Tulio probably thinks that by putting the both of us back into the artificial environment is going to magically put Blu to sleep, so that he can awaken to become normal again. Well let me be the first to testify otherwise- in all honesty, the experience was as chilling as a stay at a mental hospital. But the fact is, I have chosen Blu to be my mate, and obviously I'm expected to tolerate anything that accompanies him… and every moment he bumps into a tree I have to be there for him…

"STOP HOLDING MEEEEEE…" He yelled drunkenly as he made a full 360-degree turn to nudge off my wing as I tried to steer him away from yet another tree.

I sighed in exasperation. "Blu, please. It's _midnight_. You should be in bed by n-"

Before I could finish my sentence, he had slipped into unconsciousness, and this sparked a wave of panic and concern to wash over me. "Blu! Blu!" I yelled, shaking his motionless self in attempt to rouse him back into the world.

My attempt was not futile- his chocolate-brown eyes emerged and they looked back lovingly back at me.

"Beautiful…" he muttered as he gazed up at me, of which my natural reaction was to blush, but not a word escaped my beak since I was lost for words…

Then he started to sing again, this time more adhering to the key: "_Excuse me | But I might drink a little more than I should | Tonight; and I might take you home with me if I could | Tonight; and we might not get tomorrow…"_

Then he started to circle me while executing some contemporary dance move: "_Grab somebody sexy tell 'em hey"- _when he said the word 'sexy' his wing jutted out towards me –_"Give me everything tonight | I want all of you toni-i-ight… | For all we know | We might not get tomorrow; let's do it tonight…"_ His voice trailed off as he suddenly bolted right in front of me, the tip of our beaks just touching and… a rather seductive look of his face. Suddenly all that lust started to emerge into my mind again, and my whole body became covered in goose-bumps…

Then slowly, the distance between us closed in, and our beaks converged softly, which then intensified slowly but surely, as it grew more passionate and [I swear scotch must have this hormonal driving enzyme or some nonsense] I felt myself being forced to lie on the ground while me and my lovebird's tongues were still engaged in an epic wrestle match…

Suddenly my common sense snapped up, and it nudged me to inform me what was occurring- a gentle kiss intensifying to playful foreplay…

Sometimes life can be so ironic, where when the thing that you desire to do most occurs, your sense of concern acts up and starts to raise doubts into your mind… as Blu starts to devour my neck, I carefully asked, "Are you sure about this Blu?" He had always been so adamant about abstaining that now seemed inopportune and totally out of the blue…

Whatever sanity that Blu could have possessed acted up. "C'mon, Jewel… you've always wanted this… and I love you… we should at least try…"

At this point all the lust that I had bottled up relapsed and the urge for me to give in to… to copulation became strong. Every part of me tingled, and my heart began to race and every pound was a knock against my mind, that should I mate with Blu, then… then we'll be mates forever, that we'll be together no matter what, that this would prove our love for each other. The images of Rafael and Eva's family flashed through my mind, and so did all the mortal lusts and sexual desires I harboured, but what lingered was all the images of my time with Blu, that all these memories that I held to my heart could all be sealed with this… that we could be as one in heart, right next to each other.

And so I gave in to the art of making love.

* * *

><p>~Intermission: Blu~<p>

I am fully aware of the fact that we are the last two Spix's Macaws left on Earth, and I am also fully aware of that final step for me and Jewel to become mates… and of course this final step was vital, that we become mates to seal our eternal love… but it's like marriage. It's so important and you often question yourself if it was a right move… because if it isn't it'll haunt you for the rest of your life.

But I'm a pessimist. So I try to foresee the problems I will face, and the possibilities are numerous. I'm fully aware as to how female act when they're pregnant- they crave weird, never-before-tasted foodstuffs, they puke or get morning sickness frequently, and [this one particularly terrifies me] they have erratic mood swings. It was going to be ugly, to say the least, but of course, birds lay their eggs approximately five days after copulation.

Then there's the period of the egg, which is obviously longer than the above mentioned. The egg would have to be protected at all costs and kept warm at all costs… it was going to tie Jewel down for a long time, and if it shatters… so would mine and Jewel's.

When the egg hatches, we would also face the responsibility of taking after the hatchlings until they're big enough to take flight… simply because we were their parents. And that struck me- what about the hatchling? What if I wasn't good enough? What if they got into trouble and I wasn't there to help them? What if…

…what if they grow up without a parent?

X-X-X

The last thing I recall was being in Rafael's 'house' and drinking that bag of scotch out of courtesy. I guess what they say is true- suddenly you just lose control of everything that you do, feel and say, and you could do anything from a one-night stand to a drunken-rage murder. It was terrifying, not being in control of yourself and having something you don't exactly trust become your puppeteer.

Thus when I open my eyes, I was surprised to realise that I was in the artificial jungle in Tulio's lab, and even more surprised to see Jewel's slumbering body right next to me… or rather, physically on top of me. I squawked in shock, and instinctively backed up. Jewel's eyes slowly opened to see her mate missing, and they scanned the area briefly before meeting mine. A smile stretched across her face. "Hello, Blu," she says.

The events between this point of time and the time all my consciousness was shut down were still unclear. "Jewel, what happened the other night?" I asked, not sure if I want to discover the answer.

Jewel squinted, before realising that whatever I had experienced was not known by me. She frowned. "Don't you remember, my mate?"

"Mate?" I repeated quizzically. When Jewel gave no response, I was left to figure out what happened…

…

…

…cheese and sprinkles.

"Blu, what's gotten into you?" Suddenly I realised that last bit was said aloud.

_Everything_, I wanted to say. It was just so unbelievable… it wasn't that we were mates, since I had already initially agreed on this. It was because I was _drunk_ when it happened. I wasn't in control, I didn't let any concern or doubts stop me, I just did it. The title of the mate fell like a ton of bricks.

And besides, there were so many questions… ranging from trivial matters like not 'giving her enough' to more serious ones like: 'What's next?'

"Jewel," I managed. "I… I… I'm sorry."

To my horror, rage marks her expression, quite similar to the previous time during that quarrel in Luiz's Garage. "Sorry? That's the best that you can come up with?"

I attempted futilely to redeem myself: "I mean I- I could have _done_ something, Jewel, I-… I was drunk. I… I'm just sorry tha-"

"Blu," Jewel intercepted impatiently. "Don't be sorry. I'm happy that now we've become mates for life, you hear me? It was a defining moment in my life, and it was with _you_. Do you think I would be _unhappy_ that we're mates now?"

I tried to rebut it, but no word came out of my beak. I tried to decipher what I was feeling at that moment- it was not happiness, but rather… guilt. It just felt all… screwed up.

"It's just…" I muttered after an awkward silence. "It's just that it felt so wrong. Being drunk and mating… it's like I didn't _satisfy_ you or anything. It was like I was someone different… and besides, what if… what if you were a different bird?" Both of us flinched- the very thought just sent chilling shudders down my spine… "How would I _ever_ answer to you…" my voice trailed off, and although I didn't mean to, a stream of salty tears flew from my eyes… and suddenly I felt like a stupid coward…

Suddenly Jewel began to see why I was so upset, but the cheerful smile appeared again, this time in the purpose of trying to comfort me. She edged closer next to me, her face centimetres away from mine. "Blu," she whispered, her rage completely dissipated. "It's ok. You _did_ satisfy me… very much, in fact," – her face flashed bright crimson briefly –"and… it wasn't like you weren't in control. And besides… you _were_ in control. Somewhere during the… _mating ritual_ you half-sobered… and you didn't restrict anything, and neither did I. I felt… free… and I felt… I felt _loved_."

Memory suddenly opened its flood gates, and I was greeted with the images of that night of passion, and at that point I suddenly remembered everything _vividly_. I remembered wanting Jewel to hold me tighter, to kiss me harder, and the pure ecstasy filling my senses… and I didn't want it to end.

Sometimes I feel like I had two sides of me, the part of me that was overly-pessimistic and full of doubts, concerns and objective views to anything and everything in my life. The other being all my emotion, that part of me that was driven by desire that controlled me to tell me to do what my instincts told me… I realised that the former was my mind, always looking to the negatives of life, and I knew if I had let that side control me, it wouldn't get me anywhere. The latter… it was Rafael was talking about. It was my heart. It pushed me beyond my boundaries… and that gave me, not the burdening but rather, the honorary title of Jewel's mate.

I followed what my heart wanted- I leaned forward and pressed my beak softly on my new mate's… and suddenly that sweet nostalgic feeling returned, and our tongues began their own passionate waltz, accelerating slowly but surely… until I found myself, as I broke the kiss desperately for oxygen and opened my eyes, physically on top of her. But that was trivial at the moment.

"I love you, Jewel," I finally managed, amidst the heavy breathing of Jewel and I, our scents mixing to become one intoxicating aroma that calmed me. "I don't feel guilty of it anymore. I…" –I found myself grinning rather stupidly and involuntarily- "I feel… I feel ecstatic that we're mates now. It's just so wonderful…"

And she jerked her head up to peck me on the beak briefly before replying: "Same here, my mate… and please, no more guilt. No more holding back. You need to learn to… let your heart speak sometimes. You need to do what your desires tell you to." Smiling lovingly, I relaxed my body so I slumped over Jewel's on the ground.

"Guess you're happy we had drunken sex, huh?" I asked out of jest. She laughed softly, a wind chime resonating in my eardrums.

"It would've more satisfying if you weren't drunk, though," Jewel whispered huskily, a seductive smile spreading across her divine face. Before I could respond, she pulled me in again for a more forceful and passionate kiss, one that desired more and that lusted after physical love…

I pulled away, returning her seductive smile. "Let's start Round Two, shall we?"

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><p><em>Please don't ask me to give more… -cough-… ELABORATE details. This story remains at T-rating. <em>

_Anyways hope you like it… the next few chapters are gonna be quite the dramatic type, if you know what I'm saying. ;) In case you didn't notice, there are lyrical referrences: 1. Home- Daughtry and 2. Give Me Everything- Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack, Nayer. I don't intend to break any copyright; the lyrics belong to those respective people_

_And since you've taken the trouble to read this, please; __REVIEW IT__._

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	5. Esta tudo bem

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_You should try to spot the difference between this warning and the others… :) Anyways this story has reached 3,000 hits, so thank you guys so much! :D Get ready… this chapter will be the best I've written so far…_

**Storylover General: Thanks so much! Yes, it's a very strange way of getting them together, but whatever. X) And I have updated the DAY AFTER YOU REVIEWED LOL~~**

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**Birdguy432: Huh? Why? It was just a filler chapter… :( **

**WolfOnFyre: Um… (cough) thanks. And… you could say I planned that. O_O I mean, I want the reader to visualise the scene as it goes on… LOL. How do you think I felt? I had to write it down man… haha. Thanks so much anyways, but I want PLATINUM! ^o^**

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_So let's go:_

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><p>You might be very disapproving of drunken sex, and you might say that it's artificial and it's making love to someone else. The issue of alcohol always exists, with all the drinks in the samba clubs and the secret night clubs in the slums of Rio de Janiero, and it's gotten people into trouble before with all the raping and murder crimes that you do in the heat of the moment.<p>

Call me naïve, but in my opinion, I favour the heat-of-the-moment situations. In these situations you can have no doubts or concerns telling you that something is wrong. Of course you shouldn't let yourself explore the world lawlessly and commit horrendous crimes… but for all the gray issues, there's always the risk to take. You should do what your heart tells you to… it's never healthy to keep yourself from doing what you desire to do. You should be free to do what you love to do, free to become who you want to be, free to feel what you're supposed to feel. You should be who you are.

Imagine if Blu wasn't drunk when… copulating. To be blunt, Blu is paranoid of everything… I don't blame him but if it weren't for that desire-driven part of him, he would have never felt those gears in his heart stir up to drive his wings to pull us from our watery graves. If it weren't for… a _heart_ nobody in this world would be living, literally and metaphorically. We wouldn't dare do the things we want to do, and we'd be stuck in a corner all day not knowing all of life's gifts waiting …

The fact is nobody can ever stop you from being who you are. As for me, nobody can ever stop me from loving Blu.

Or, at least I thought so.

* * *

><p>I guess Tulio's powers of guesstimating are not so potent- after a rather thorough check-up of my wing's status, he found it to be healing at an 'alarmingly rapid' rate, and his altered estimation was brought forward to a distance of two days before my wing is finally functional, and my flight returns. Thank the stars, I thought. It was embarrassing, however, that we were <em>very<em> late for breakfast, and even with us not being able to communicate with humans, they probably figured it out. As Tulio shot Blu an approving smirk, my wing met my face with reasonable impact.

In the midst of a silent, serene meal at the table somewhere in the afternoon, the doorbell's metallic ring resonated through the house. I shot my head up in surprise- who in the world would come in the morning without proper reservations?

Linda, bearing the same peculiar expression as I, went to excuse herself to the door. After a momentary squeaking of wood against wood, her cheerful and inviting voice exclaimed:

"Fernando!" I internally smiled; shortly after Blu had brought me to be observed by Tulio, the four of us parted ways with Fernando, the latter's reason being to 'pursue his dreams in the wind'. I stole a glance from the edge of the wall- he hadn't changed at all [it has been two days since that whole adventure], and in his long arms beheld a medium-sized cardboard box. My curiosity arose.

"Hey there, Linda… I- I came for a visit. C… Can I enter, please?" An alto-tone, meek teenage boy's voice followed.

"Come in, come in. No need for politeness." Linda said which was ensued by a few light trots and the shutting of the door with a dull thud.

Almost immediately Tulio rose from his chair to join the two, and my curiosity got the better of me; I went to eavesdrop on the conversation, my mate tailing me.

"It's good to see you here, Fernando. How're you doing lately?" Tulio's familiar voice greeted.

"I'm fine, Tulio," Fernando replied, with no obligatory 'Mr' or 'Ms' to the adults. "It's just that I have something for you." He held up the box as a sort of offering. I stole another glance- the box was ordinary, sans the queer holes poked at the side. At first I didn't know what they were for, but then common sense hit me and I discovered that they were air holes- in the box was a living creature. And I might be crazy, but seeing the size of the box and the fact that he's brought it to Tulio of all people, it must be a bird.

Blu glanced at as well, and his eyes enlarged by a fraction.

"A bird?" Tulio questioned quizzically.

"Bird_s_. But one of them is sick. You think you can help it?"

"Well let's see then," Linda said. Tulio then took the box out of Fernando's hands. He opened the lid and set his eyes upon the contents of the box.

He gasped.

This was subsequently followed by Linda's lighter gasp. I took a gander at the situation again- both adults had their hands over their mouths. Fernando's expression was befuddled, and because of the damned angle, I couldn't see the contents of the box. Blu stood there, unsure of the whole situation.

"Oh my…" Tulio managed with his voice hoarse.

"What? It's only a fractured wing; it's not gruesome at all." Fernando muttered, clueless.

"No, Fernando, you don't understand. This… this can't be true…"

Frustrated at the inability to decipher this mystery, I turned to my mate. "Can you pick me up so I can at least see what's in that box?"

He shook his head solemnly. "You can't barge in like that. It's not appropriate; it's nosey."

I sighed in exasperation before turning my attention to the situation in the living room. "Well, what's wrong, then?" Fernando asked.

"Fernando, I… Where did you find these birds?"

He frowned, also frustrated of his ignorance. "I found them in the middle of the jungle. The female was injured, and her mate" –my keen sense of hearing picked up a squawk of protest –"… companion was protecting her. Her wing was all numb, so I figured that was the problem, so I approached you. So what's wrong with them? They're not some rare species tha-"

"They are," Linda muttered. "I thought… Blu and Jewel…"

As every second was whiled away I was more intrigued, and at the mention of my name, I squawked in response stupidly, and I was subsequently hushed by my sensible mate, and was greeted with three pairs of eyeballs drilling at me for a few seconds. Then they turned to the box. Just what was inside?

My question was answered as Tulio [thank the stars] placed his hands inside and withdrew the two birds.

This time I saw what the commotion was all about.

I couldn't believe my eyes, because despite my poor vision, there was no mistaking- in Tulio's two hands were two Spix's Macaws. From the distance I couldn't pick up distinctive facial features, but they had the shape of a Macaw, and they were absolutely blue. One of them was dark, navy blue, and the other was cerulean blue [like Blu] but with black streaks on its tail. The latter was not standing, but rather clutching its wing in agony. They didn't look bigger than we were.

I glanced at my mate, and his face was marked with sheer shock, his pupils shrunken and his beak wide open. "Dang," he muttered.

Tulio began to examine the two Macaws. "I thought Blu and Jewel were the only two left…" Tulio muttered in awe.

"Wait!" Fernando intercepted. "You mean the Blue Macaws are a near-extinct species? Why didn't you tell me that! I didn't even know the value of Blu and Jewel when I st-… _had_ them!"

"This is amazing," Tulio uttered, still under a trance.

"Well, apparently whatever they taught you in medical school was entirely false," Linda snapped back. "So Blu isn't the last male after all!"

"How was I supposed to know?" Tulio defended himself, a whiplash reaction. At that point I paid no further attention, and I turned to my mate again.

"They're Blue Macaws, like us Blu!" I exclaimed excitedly, somewhat resembling a hyperactive toddler.

"We're not the only ones…" Blu muttered, still residing in the initial shock of this revolutionary discovery.

"Could they be related to us?" I questioned, and suddenly my heart started to accelerate. The thought of meeting one of our kind brought excitement to me, since I always had desired to meet one of us, but the thought of seeing a relative…. It made me giddy- what if they were our parents? What if they were part of some distant memory that would bring joy to us again… suddenly my heart twisted in pain, as my mind was dragged down Memory Lane again… but that was all behind me. Those birds… they could change our lives forever. That might be exaggerated, but it's a possibility… more certain than not.

"I haven't met any other Spix's Macaws," Blu said, his tone matter-of-fact and his expression rigid. "I only knew some stupid Canadian geese and a bunch of other bullies. And I don't _think_ they're my relatives…"

"Don't be such a pessimist Blu," I encouraged. "They're probably nice, and we'll probably be good friends…"

"Maybe. Maybe not."

I rolled my eyes and then diverted my attention back to the living room, but they were gone. _Probably went to fix that fracture_, I thought, but my train of thought was interrupted by Linda's voice:

"Well, your friend has gone with Tulio… why dontcha stay in the kitchen for a while, little fella? I'll go with Fernando to find Tulio." Subsequently I heard two pairs of footsteps dampening into the distance, and a light male squawk that tugged on my mind.

My heart still pounding on my chest I went to the edge of the wall [where the counter turned ninety-degrees twice following the edge of the wall, so at bird's-eye-view the counter twisted like a 'C' with the wall in the concave section. I anticipated myself for this meeting- I would have to make a good impression to him anyways, and all my heart was dying to meet this stranger… the thought of meeting another Blue Macaw face-to-face made my head swirl. Especially when scientists estimated me and Blu as the last two on Earth… now here was the proof that they were wrong, feet away from me, and having a great possibility of being my relative as a Brazilian native.

My mate merely waited behind me, encouraging me to go ahead with a candid smile.

Taking a deep breath, I mustered all my courage, every heart thump clear in my ears, and I trotted to the other wide of the wall to meet the stranger.

And in that instant, two things happened: one, I caught sight of the navy-blue Macaw and his turquoise eyes. Two, all those haunting memories came down crashing like a tsunami.

Oh.

Sh!t.

* * *

><p>~Intermission: Blu~<p>

I was never fond of making new acquaintances. Clearly those dumb Canadian geese [with the intelligence equivalent to a lamppost] had messed up my perception of life. You see, the twins were the pets of a blond d0uchebag who picked on Linda back in her middle school days. They were loyal to her, until they were knocked unconsciousness by their owner and left on the streets, never to see her again. You figured they would repent and turn over a new leaf, but of course, like every villain, they were static characters in a book, still going at it.

Don't mistake me- I enjoy companionship, if they ever like befriending a 'nerd bird' in the first place that is. If you pin question Jewel to pertaining to my characteristics, she'd use words like 'gentle', 'caring' and 'clumsy, but in a cute way'. I know that's definitely not the type that people want to be friends with these days- society look out for 'funny', 'charming' and the occasional 'good in bed'.

This is why I stay behind a distance while waiting for Jewel to greet the stranger warmly before introducing him to me as her mate. I was never good at introductions or first impressions because, more often than not, I would either be viewed as a nerd who would equal target-for-insults, or a drooling, head-over-heels Macaw who must be thinking he was the luckiest bird in the whole world to … _you know_.

So after shooting her a gentle smile to egg her on, she disappeared behind the wall. And after she exited the kitchen, there was a full one minute of silence. It seemed like one full eternity.

As every second ticked by, I got more and more curious, but predominantly anxious. After 60 geologic ages a name I did not quite catch was uttered in Jewel's familiar voice, and subsequently I heard a bass-male voice yell: "_Jóia_!" This was followed by a rush of footsteps and a dull thud, most likely body against wood. I jumped in shock; I didn't know one "Jóia" could be so significant… I was pretty sure it meant more than 'hi'. {Jóia = Jewel}

Not sure if I wanted to see this queer and mysterious situation, I made light footsteps over to the edge of the wall. I frowned. I hadn't heard a single word after that one Jóia. Something was definitely wrong; there was no Jewel or stranger.

I popped my head over to the other side, and at that moment an electrifying chill spontaneously surged through my spine.

I saw a light-blue Macaw, the love of my life, the one I knew so well. The one I could trust as long as I live and the beholder of my heart.

I saw another Macaw, his feathers dark blue, and I did not know him at all, a stranger that was now brought into light, closer than before.

They were body-to-body.

They were face-to-face.

They were beak-to-beak.

At that point I couldn't think straight, dizzy with this horrific sight. _I must be hallucinating_, I thought, and I shut my eyes tight, shaking my head of that thought, and I looked up again. They were still there, still in each others' arms, still kissing, and my mate moaning in pure pleasure. It was unbelievable, incredible in a bad sense, and totally out of the blue.

The only thought that surged through my mind was this: _why the fu(k is this stranger making out with my mate…_

And suddenly a burning heat dominated my whole being, my mind and my heart, and I was overcome by a force so powerful yet indescribable, a mix between jealousy, rage and justified envy. I snarled furiously, that my mate was in the wings of another bird, and I involuntarily emitted an animalistic growl, oblivious to the two.

The feeling overcame my common sense and without thinking, I charged headfirst at this unknown bird.

The impact was not as powerful as expected- I felt no recoil on my head ambushing his body- and before he could react I clawed at his face, my face marked with fury.

"Blu!" Jewel exclaimed, but I did not catch her expression. He finally retaliated- and he was definitely and unfortunately more powerful than me-, using his body weight to thrust me down onto the counter, and pain rippled though my feathers. Dang, he was a good fighter.

"_Que porra_!" He yelled, and his talons made its way around my neck, obstructing my windpipe and pinning me down entirely as I futilely tried to struggle away. I choked violently, but I looked at him with the same intensity of anger as before. {Que porra! = what the fu(k!}

"Let go you son of a b!tch!" I yelled hoarsely, letting loose of my exhalation, and suddenly the urge to inhale overcame me. Jewel came over, her face fake with concern for my well-being.

"_Ronaldo, deixá-lo ir!"_ Jewel's sharp, Portuguese-accented Portuguese shrill ordered. Ronaldo looked at her with an puzzled and indignant face, but he saw her enraged and adamant expression in return. Like the magic words of a lifetime, his talons' grasp loosened, leaving me gasping for breath. {Ronaldo, deixá-lo ir! = Ronaldo, let him go!}

The navy-blue Macaw's face was tinted with fury, mirroring mine, but his more intimidating-ly angry than truly, personally angry. "_Jóia, quem é esse idiota? Você o conhece?" _The male looked into Jewel's eyes, half-dazed at the tension in the atmosphere. {Jóia, quem é esse idiota? Você o conhece = Jewel, who is this idiot? You know him?}

Jewel sighed, and gave no response, her face suddenly contorted with guilt. "_Ronaldo, me desculpe_…" {Ronaldo, me desculpe = Ronaldo, I'm sorry}

I intercepted, after recovering from my choking fit: "Jewel you _better_ have a good explanation for this!"

The Macaw raised an eyebrow. "You American," he muttered with a hint of surprise, though still firm and his English evidently substandard.

Jewel looked at the not-a-stranger-anymore, and then she gazed into my eyes. "I'm sorry, Blu, I'm so, so sorry…"

"_O que está acontecendo, Jóia?" _The Macaw looked into my mate's eyes, as if she was _his_ mate, and he drew close to her again. Before I could snarl aggressively, she moved away from him, and she walked over to my side. {O que está acontecendo = what's going on}

Jewel exhaled deeply, and her soft sapphire eyes stared into the Macaw's hard turqoise ones. "_Ronaldo, este é Blu_. Blu, this is Ronaldo."

"Nice name," he muttered, laced with sarcasm. I snarled in response.

"Ronaldo..." her voice trailed off, preparing herself for some revolutionary statement. Her eyes donned a veil of moisture, making her irises shimmer in the fluorescent light. "_Blu é a minha erva-mate_." {Blu é a minha erva-mate = Blu is my mate}

His eyes enlargened, and his initial sullen and enraged expression was jolted into stupefaction, his lower part of the beak trembling. "_Jóia…_" Suddenly it dawned on me that _Jóia _meant 'Jewel', and part of me was pleased that he was put in his place. The question is: why?

Even though the answer was so clear, Jewel continued: "Blu… Ronaldo, he… he…" she trailed off, and she suddenly burst into a small sobbing fit, unable to complete her sentence, whimpering softly like a lost child.

Stupidly, I pushed adamantly: "What? Who is this Ronaldo?"

Despite being totally crestfallen and still startled, Ronaldo, with no mark of anger depicted on his face, completed her sentence:

* * *

><p><strong>~Intermission: Flashback in third-person-P.O.V. ~<strong>

**Somewhere deep in the Amazon jungle, a small hatchling lay solitary in a nest, huddled to herself under a leaf as the rain poured down torrentially and cruelly. A bolt of thunder streaked across the night sky, scaring the living daylights of the poor azure bird as she curled into a ball even tighter, hoping the rain would miraculously fade away in an instant. It didn't; the little hatchling was on the brink of tears, but she chose to remain strong… even if she was abandoned from young.**

**She was always this alone, deserted from such a tender age of one **_**week**_** before she could even jump out of her nest and fly… she was just grabbed from behind by her own mother, left on the ground… all she could do was helplessly watch her mother and father fly off without her…**

**She'd spent many nights crying her eyes out, until she could literally survive on her tears barring the salty taste. At the very most, she could look for certain foods and had the common sense to try the rainwater that came almost every night. But it was times like this that she dreaded the downpours- she was absolutely terrified of thunder- where movement was hindered, and the temperature was so darn low. The hatchling shivered, a single salty tear rolling down her face…**

**After an hour of insomnia, the rain had been subdued a tad bit, but it still wasn't safe to be outside the puny shelter that the leaf could possibly provide. The hatchling wondered where all the birds in this world were… especially her parents. She shut her eyes, unable to withstand the horror of that memory.**

**Suddenly she heard a voice, almost like a hallucination: "**_**Olá lá**_**." {****Olá lá = Hello there****}**

**She opened one delicate sapphire eye, and the sight before almost made her faint. It was another Spix's Macaw, just like her, his dark blue feathers drenched, and he was an inch taller; approximately a month older than her. "**_**Você está bem?**_**" His voice was marked with no intention to hard, but to help. {****Você está bem? = Are you okay?****}**

**She sniffled. She made a small questioning whimper, which would be said in the same tone as "Huh?" if she only knew the Portuguese word for it [which is Hein?]. She simply didn't understand him; even though in Brazil Portuguese was the first language.**

**The navy-blue bird smiled. " **_**Está tudo bem. Sou amigo**_**." ****{Está tudo bem. Sou amigo = it's okay. I'm a friend.****}**

**The limited capability to understand Portuguese managed to tell the hatchling that 'amigo' meant 'friend'. She tried to communicate again: "**_**Pai? Mãe?"**_** {****Pai? Mãe? = Father? Mother?****}**

**Her new-found friend frowned. "**_**Não**_**." {****Não = no****}**

**Upon seeing the azure hatchling burst into a wailing fit, he tried to hush her, by 'sh'-ing her and placing one firm wing over her beak. "**_**Está tudo bem. Está tudo bem…" **_**The azure hatchling put her wings around the other Macaw, as she let loose all of her sorrow, all of her pain into her new-found friend…**

**And that night, the two birds fell asleep in each others' wings, and by an act of the stars, the rain ceased.**

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><p><strong>It's been 10 years since Jewel was adopted by the navy-blue bird's mother and father. Luckily they were caring, gentle and they loved Jewel like she was their own. She learnt the navy-blue bird's name… was Ronaldo. <strong>

**Even after Jewel had matured a bit, Ronaldo was still an inch taller than his half-sister. He had grown much stronger, and he was much bigger than most of his peers [of different species, obviously]. He had a passion for soccer, and miraculously he had never damaged anything belonging to Jewel.**

**Jewel was meek, and she was socially awkward, always shying away from her peers. They all loved to kick that stupid rock around, and she could never get the point of the game, or the celebratory roar ensuing the rock passing a certain line. She didn't want to get her face damaged, anyway, and besides her ability to play soccer was as potent as her ability to breathe underwater [of which latter has not been attempted, for the record].**

**The few things that she was potent in were the field of the arts, or more specifically singing. She could hit every note effortlessly, bass to soprano, and her voice would be envied by many opera singers everywhere. The problem was, singing around her peers 'deep from the heart' did not put her in good light, judging by the mud that were thrown as a lousy substitute as supposed praise-symbol flowers. She never told Ronaldo, though. She feared he would worry.**

**On a perfect day where the sun cheerfully and charitably donated its light and heat to the jungle in Rio, Jewel began to sing a wordless tune melodiously, a lullaby sung by her mother the day she was found:**

_**{**__**To the tune of Real in Rio, without the lyrics though :**__**}  
>Amar a nossa vida na selva {<strong>__**Loving our life in the jungle**__**}  
>tudo é selvagem e livre {<strong>__**everything's wild and free**__**}  
>nunca está sozinho, porque essa é a nossa casa {<strong>__**never alone, 'cause this is our home**__**}  
>A magia pode acontecer de verdade, em – {<strong>__**Magic can happen for real, in –}**_

**Her melody was interrupted by a cannonball of mud hurled at her. The sheer force knocked her forward, where she was pelted with several other muddy ammunitions and a pair of familiar sharp talons clawing her whole body. She knew who the supposed leader was- a Blue Macaw named Elizabeth. This wasn't the first time she'd ambushed her, and just the thought of her previous encounters with her sent shudders down her neck.**

"_**Aberração, você tem que aprender a calar a boca**_**!" Elizabeth shrilled, as her minions began to jeer her and continue the barrage of mud. Unfortunately Elizabeth was much stronger than the then-meek Jewel, and Jewel was definitely outnumbered and outwitted. {****Aberração, você tem que aprender a calar a boca = Freak, you have to learn to shut up!****}**

"**Gah!" Jewel yelped as a prompt kick sent her flying forward, soaring into a mud puddle face-first [the mud doesn't stop, does it], where her face was then smeared into the ground by Elizabeth's talon. Jewel, in all bluntness, looked absolutely pathetic, helpless if you will, as she futilely tried to writhe out of her grip. She prayed that someone would help her before she would pass out again and be subjected to absolute torture…**

**Then, a miracle occurred- the talon's grasp was abruptly released, followed by a shout in shock on sudden attack: "Ahh!"**

**Wiping the mud from her eyes, she espied her half-brother, furious at that bullies and about to charge like a wild bull. Joy filled her heart.**

"**Ronaldo!" Jewel exclaimed gleefully, as her knight in shining armour managed to create an impact large enough to knock all her four minions down like bowling pins, their mud useless against his sheer force.**

**As Elizabeth tried to strike back, Ronaldo executed a pre-emptive wing attack, sending her reeling for a second time, where she was subsequently pinned to the ground by the strong Spix's Macaw.**

"_**Não se atreva a tocar a minha irmã de novo!**_**" Ronaldo threatened intimdatingly. {****Não se atreva a tocar a minha irmã de novo = don't you dare touch my sister again****}**

"_**O que é um covarde... sua irmão tem que vir a seu salvamento**_** ..." Elizabeth said hoarsely, and she subsequently winced in pain as Ronaldo thrust his claw harder onto her throat. {****O que é um covarde... sua irmão tem que vir a seu salvamento = what a coward ... your brother has to come to your rescue****}**

"_**Ir embora agora, ou você vai se arrepender!**_**" Ronaldo warned, gnashing his beak together and growling. When he released his grip, Elizabeth, the 'covarde', fled, her fellow friends tailing her. Obviously Ronaldo's strength was way too much. {****Ir embora agora, ou você vai se arrepender = Go away now, or you'll regret it****}**

"_**Você está bem, Jóia?" **_**Ronaldo asked, stooping low to help his half-sister get up. **

**Jewel coughed, sending a sputter of mud flying. Her body was coated with mud, her face still slightly brown even though she had down her best to wipe the fowl solid-liquid off. "**_**Eu estou bem. Eu já passei por piores. Que Elizabeth estúpida…**_**" She muttered, her voice still sore. {****Eu estou bem. Eu já passei por piores. Que Elizabeth estúpida… = I'm fine. I've been through worse. That stupid Elizabeth…}**

**Upon discovering that this was definitely not the first time, Ronaldo snarled furiously. "**_**Eles vão pagar por presente**_**…" {****Eles vão pagar por presente = they will pay for this…}**

**Jewel whimpered lightly, most likely due to the pain, and Ronaldo was distracted. "**_**Está tudo bem, Jóia… Está tudo bem…"**_** he consoled, embracing her gently and protectively.**

**Jewel looked into Ronaldo's eyes. "**_**Obrigado, Ronaldo… Obrigado…**_**" {****Obrigado = thank you****}**

**Ronaldo smiled sweetly. "**_**Só acho que nada disto ... Eu sou seu irmão, depois de tudo. Se não eu quem vai te proteger**_**?" {****Só acho que nada disto ... Eu sou seu irmão, depois de tudo. se não eu quem vai te proteger? = just think nothing of it ... I am your brother, after all. If not me who would protect you?}**

_**Irmãos não iria para a tal ponto**_**, Jewel thought to herself but she did not voice this out... she only wanted to enjoy the warmth of Ronaldo's embrace, even if her feathers were coated in mud. Jewel knew that Ronaldo would always be there... to always protect her from all the evil in this world... ****{Irmãos não iria para a tal ponto = Brothers would not go to such an extent}**

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><p><em>Guys, these are my OCs, Ronaldo and Elizabeth. The latter is a cameo, though, but for Ronaldo... I know you guys probably hate him, but wait. There's the backstory, obviously, and this chapter ain't finished yet. There's Ronaldo's ultimate reaction and his relationship with Jewel and Blu... anyways I just left you on a cliffhanger. The memory thingy was only an intermission; LOL.<em>

_By the way I'm sorry I made one whole section with Portuguese dialogue... it'll fade away later but I feel like a jerk... so sorry. T_T So you know what Esta tudo bem means now right? :D In any case, the lyrics were translated to Portuguese from English, and they are owned by Sergio Mendes, John Powell, Carlinhos Brown, Mikael Mutti, and Siedah Garrett, the writers obviously._

_So... you see that button below? Yeah. Click it; I've poured out a lot of soul in this chapter [explaining its length]... but I could use some suggestions as to improve it._

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	6. Forgive Me

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Hello everyone! I'm sorry for the delay; but I've tried very hard to multitask and write this and Love? It's not very good on my health… sigh. Anyways I've had real bad reception on my OC Ronaldo, but bear with me; I'll try to make it up. You didn't think I'd let Blu and Jewel's relationship fall through the cracks, right?_

**Spyromaster64: Aww… thanks! That is like, the best review I've ever gotten! Thank you so much! Anyways, like you, I did fall in love with the movie, and immediately begun to dream of FanFiction for it… :) Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Birdguy432: Really? Wow; I thought my action skills suck. O.O Anyways you'll have to see. ;)**

**Elyahu: Here you are, as fast as lightning! :O Haha… LOL. ;P**

**Mr. Schmidt: Yeah… sorry. You'll have to read it again, but whatever. Thank you very much; I'll try not to do so much Portuguese, but be prepared, though.**

**Zacarais: WHOA MAN… that's a lotta pressure. Sigh… Anyways I hope I fix everything here. I feel kinda hurt by that… :,(**

**WolfOnFyre: Thank you so much! And no, I'm pretty sure I'm typing with my own hands and head. LOL. :D**

**Storylover Alpha 01: Hey hey hey, my dear Blu! I'm very sorry, but I'm the author here… Don't worry, I'll get you and Jewel together, but I feel kinda hurt because of that. O_O**

**BluJewel4ever: Ronaldo: Hey! Come on man; I just got here! Jewel: ~Sigh~ Of course I do, don't I? I hope Blu can forgive me…**

**Mord44: Yeah… I'll try to explain that. Anyways thanks so much! I'll try to mend that hurt now, so here you are. :P**

**JACarter: Hey thanks! So here's one for ya! =]**

_Anyways let's go with it:_

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><p><strong>Ronaldo and Jewel are now both 14 years old, the former <strong>_**still**_** more physically superior than his half-sister. He had become increasingly renowned in the Rio-birds community as a soccer prodigy, and was probably the best player of the sport in the whole of Brazil, even against **_**humans**_** [if they were shrunk to their size, that is, because the immediate reaction of seeing the humans' soccer ball was to run due to its immense size]. Such an achievement was astounding, but Ronaldo never made himself known to humans. Heck, he could probably outplay his Portugal-residing namesake, but whether out of modesty or fear, he didn't interact very much with them. Besides, soccer was only a speck in his world, compared to his **_**Jóia.**_

**Jewel hadn't changed greatly either, remaining as an excellent singer and more recently picked up the skill of the samba. Despite all these talents, she was not looked down upon any less than before, especially that Elizabeth. She preyed on Jewel as a bully-victim and took advantage of every moment that Jewel was not by her half-brother-slash-bodyguard's side. More often than not Ronaldo retaliated with great fury and he warned sternly for her to keep her distance from Jewel, a warning fallen on deaf ears. It was a vicious cycle that Ronaldo couldn't interfere with.**

**Nevertheless Jewel was a pretty bird. No, let's admit it, she was drop-dead **_**gorgeous**_**. Many of Jewel's male comrades [that didn't tease her divine voice or divine failure at soccer] often playfully flirted with her just to satisfy some part of their hormonal desire. Common sense eventually stepped in, since back then Jewel, Ronaldo and Elizabeth were the only Spix's Macaws known [a species barrier that Jewel thanked the stars for]. Gradually she began to become more and more convinced that the Y-chromosome contained the gene of stupidity, for the multiple acts of courtship she'd witnessed deserved no praise of wisdom.**

**So this was one of the few days that she dreaded, where ironically it was a special occasion in Brazil. Not Carnivale, but one that was more internationally recognized, and they called it the **_**Dia do Amor**_**. Valentines' Day. {****Dia do Amor = Day of Love****}**

**She mentally made a firm decision to conceal herself in a knothole she called home, for two very practical reasons: one, to shake off any admirers of any sort, and two, to prevent herself from being mentally traumatised [again] from witnessing another live mating ritual. To say the least, the sight was unbearable, and Jewel planned this time to keep the contents of her stomach where it should be, thank you very much. Her tactic was a resounding success, since every other male bird either had their own partner or did not have the common sense to consider Jewel's freaking home as a hiding spot. Nevertheless it worked in favour for her.**

**Jewel gazed at the scenery outside the knothole, where a monotonous arrangement of trees at random greeted her, a mess of green and brown. However her lonely sapphire eyes were fixated on an odd object- a solitary rose, drooping slightly due to the perpetual breeze but probably rooted by some crazed bird trying to mark territory. She smirked; the thought of a lovesick fool trying to handle a thorny stem without prickling itself amused her. Nevertheless the crimson rose was beautiful, a brilliant speck of red standing firm in the ground amidst the eternal greenery.**

**She then turned away, as slumber threatened to dominate her, having sought refuge in the tree for quite the duration of time. She attempted to slip into dreamland, rather painstakingly as well, having tried so hard that she didn't notice the intruder enter stealthily.**

"**BOO!"**

**The azure Macaw jumped in fright, releasing a sharp yelp and defensively yet aimlessly swinging a wing at the intruder. In that instant where sapphire met turquoise, she heaved a sigh of relief, her fears having immediately dissipated on seeing her half-brother.**

"_**Ronaldo ... é só você ... você me assustou lá**_**." {****Ronaldo ... é só você ... você me assustou lá = Ronaldo... it's only you... you scared me there.****}**

**Ronaldo grinned impishly, which showed a hint of sheepishness and, surprisingly, anxiety. "**_**Desculpe se eu assustei você, irmã. Eu só vim aqui para verificar em você**_**…" {****Desculpe se eu assustei você, irmã. Eu só vim aqui para verificar em você = sorry if I scared you, sister. I just came to check on you****}**

**Jewel suddenly took notice that Ronaldo's wings were behind his back; evidently he was hiding something from her vision. She cocked her head to the side. "**_**O que é isso**_**?" She questioned, gesturing to the mystery object Ronaldo possessed. ****{O que é isso = what's that?}**

**His look grew sly, and he retained the suspense. "**_**Feche os olhos**_**," he commanded. {****Feche os olhos = close your eyes****}**

**Jewel rolled her eyes; Ronaldo loved to play games with her and this was no exception. Nevertheless she concealed her eyes behind her eyes lids, and instantly darkness enveloped her vision. Then she felt a firm yet gentle wing fondle with the back of her head, as if it was combing it. She was tempted to open her eyes and see what work Ronaldo was executing, but she decided against it- it would ruin the surprise element that Ronaldo wanted to execute.**

**Then she detected the wing no more, followed by a slight pause. "_Agora aberto_," she heard the same familiar bass tone call. And she obeyed. {Agora aberto = Now open}**

**The first sight she saw was her half-brother sticking out a half-coconut shell filled with water [part of her daily survival kit in the hideout] and she saw a reflection on herself. At the back of her head, lodged between the feathers sticking out from behind was a new object. It was a brilliant pink orchid, its petals as soft as a feather and a dazzling pattern to complement. Needless to say, it was stunningly beautiful, and Jewel let out a soft gasp in surprise.**

"**_O que você acha dela_?" Ronaldo prompted. {O que você acha dela = what do you think of it?}**

"**_Bela_…" Jewel managed, her sapphire eyes wide. {Bela = Beautiful} **

"**_lhe convier muito bem, Jóia_." Ronaldo complimented with much unnecessary sincerity. {lhe convier muito bem = Suits you very well}**

**Jewel smiled, and she pulled Ronaldo into an embrace in the sole emotion of appreciation. Ronaldo, on the other hand, decided that there was simply not other way to say it, but he had to do something more direct.**

"**_Jóia_?"**

**Jewel gazed at him. "_Qual é o problema_?" {Qual é o problema = what's the matter}**

**Ronaldo inhaled deeply. He knew that the words he would spill would have significant effect on her... they're siblings, after all. No, they weren't TECHNICALLY siblings, and besides the realm of feathered beings the term didn't even exist, they only called each other _irmão_ and_ irmã_ because that was HOW they should treat each other… But Ronaldo didn't want that. He truly and deeply loved Jewel… she needed to be protected. And he could fight the enemies off; they were obviously made for each other. It made sense, or at least to Ronaldo it did.**

"**_Jóia_…" he paused, mustering up the mental courage before declaring: "_Eu te amo. Não como um irmão, mas ... um amor romântico_." {Eu te amo. Não como um irmão, mas ... um amor romântico. = I love you. Not as a brother, but… a romantic love.}**

**As Jewel tried to soak all of this in, he continued: "_Eu sempre fui estranhamente atraído por você ... e eu sinto meu dever era proteger você, e agora ... Eu estou apaixonado por você jóia. Eu só espero que você possa me aceitar_…" {****Eu sempre fui estranhamente atraído por você ... e eu sinto meu dever era proteger você, e agora ... Eu estou apaixonado por você jóia. Eu só espero que você possa me aceitar. = I've always been strangely attracted to you ... and I feel my duty was to protect you, and now ... I'm in love with you Jewel. I just hope you can accept me****.}**

**Jewel was stunned, to the say the least- the prospect of Ronaldo as a lovebird resulted in a sort of... tingling feeling inside of her. She'd always regarded Ronaldo as a brother, nothing more, and **_**this**_**... wasn't it the equivalent of incest? No, in the bird world there was no such thing, but... it was wierd. Ronaldo as her best friend was how she had always viewed him... and nothing more. But the fact was, why wouldn't he be suitable? She loved him platonically, but there was no reason why she couldn't otherwise. He was such a charming bird anyway and he could be by her side forever… they were almost like a match-made.**

**And she reciprocated his love. Although they didn't… 'go all the way', to put it delicately, they became as one, together.**

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><p>~Intermission over: Blu~<p>

"I was her love."

These four words were stated matter-of-fact, with no emotion seeped into the spaces, but it struck me like a lightning bolt out of the blue. It totally startled me, that Jewel, the love of my life, had a lovebird in the past…

And suddenly everything made sense. She never liked to talk about her past, much less try to avoid issue before bursting into sobs. She had always believed in freedom and liberation from the so-called 'chains of love'… and why she was so hesitant to admit her feelings towards me. And of course, not too long ago, on meeting my mate he was jubilant and proceeded to give her a tongue bath.

The question is: what did he do to her?

Before I could respond to Ronaldo, Jewel looked at me, her weak sapphire eyes begging for my forgiveness. "Blu, I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry…"

I stared at her in disbelief. How could she hide this from me? Why _would_ she hide it from me? Doubts begun to flood my mental being…

"J-Jewel…" I stuttered. "W-Why did you not tell about him? Why did you hide this other bird from me? _Why Jewel?"_ The last sentence was in a shriek as I grabbed her with my wings and shook her violently in accusation.

"Calm down, Blu." Ronaldo said, void of any expression as his turquoise eyes gazed upon a whimpering and crying Jewel. "She has her reasons."

Stupidly my temper flared and I shot him a threatening look, twisted with rage. "_You_ don't have a say in this."

He snarled aggressively in response, no words uttered from his beak.

Jewel then intercepted what could have possibly sparked a humongous brawl. "Blu… let me explain. I have my reasons."

I creased my brow, folding my wings. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

Ronaldo did not say anything. He merely stood there wordless, as if he already knew the answer.

Jewel exhaled sharply, before launching into reminiscing the past, covering the details of her meeting with Ronaldo from young, her devoid interaction with society, the way he protected her, and when he asked her to become his lovebird… and it shocked me, that such a lovely bird as Jewel could have been bullied like me from such a young age. It shocked me that Ronaldo, this seemingly scheming thief, was her half-brother and was her protector.

But what shocked me the most was what happened at the end.

"You-… you mean you thought Ronaldo was _dead?"_ I exclaimed.

Ronaldo sighed. "Yes… Jewel was out one day and she almost unthinkingly walked into a cage… fortunately I pushed her out of the way, but I got caught myself… ~sigh~. I told her to run as far away as possible, to evacuate before she would get caught herself…" He then winced at the memory.

Jewel continued, her eyes still drawn to the floor. "I remember trying to save him, but the poacher just grabbed the cage and ran off, and I remember being too slow to chase after him… I remember blaming myself for his … _death… _and I remember all the sorrow and grief just struck me from the blue, as he was taken away in a second. I just wanted to pretend that it all never happened... I'm so _sorry_ Blu… I really should've told you…" Then she whimpered, tears streaming down her face at the agonising memory. Those memories… must be what hurt her most, the ones that she wanted to cage and put behind her.

"I came back, obviously," Ronaldo continued. "Hitching a ship back here… but that's not the point. I came back for my _Jóia_, but she was with you, as mates even…. I… I was too late." He exhaled deeply, a sharp sigh of defeated exasperation.

I remained frozen in position, as the wave of enlightenment and remorse struck me with great impact. It was a misunderstanding after all- Jewel had her lovebird taken away from her in a flash, leaving her to grieve on her own… obviously she would have wanted to forget the past and move on. I knew Jewel; she would want to throw away the haunting vivid memories and take to freedom. And now her first love was alive. When Ronaldo kissed Jewel he was definitely unaware of her status as my mate… and he was completely justified, being the one that Jewel used to love.

Ronaldo sighed, and his pathetic expression was one that earned sympathy. He hadn't forgotten Jewel at all, always being part of her heart… and she went to go find another mate. It must have crushed his heart into powder to learn his love's heart belonged to someone else… but I was still wary of him. He could steal back Jewel's heart from me claiming he was here before I was… it would cause chaos.

"Blu," he offered, his bass tone voice meek in my presence, as though I was more potent than he was. "I… Please forgive me about everything… I… I didn't kn-know you were Jo-… Jewel's mate. I j-… just wanted to s-say that I… _Sinto muito, amigo_. I hope you forgive me… I promise I won't fight you for her; she's yours to keep…" {Sinto muito = I'm sorry}

I looked at Ronaldo. He did kiss my mate, but he wasn't to blame… it was only a misunderstanding. Besides, I told myself, how could I blame him, the one who Jewel loved in the past, both platonically and unplatonically, the one who provided refuge for Jewel when she was only a hatchling, and possibly the only reason why Jewel is here today… I couldn't blame him. As much as my heart hated him, as much as I desired to eradicate him from the face of this earth to eliminate any possible rivals as Jewel's love… I couldn't. It would break Jewel's heart. So long as he didn't compete with me… what danger does he pose, being Jewel's sort of half-brother?

But for him to so willingly hand over whatever value Jewel held to his heart… it seemed impossible for him to do such an unthinkable thing so voluntarily and quickly. I squinted suspiciously. "You mean you swear _never _to interfere with me and Jewel's relationship, no matter how much you desire to? I feel rather sceptical about that."

He suddenly jolted. "What?" he exclaimed, before Jewel sighed and trilled off the Portuguese translation. He then brightened in enlightenment.

"I promise, I won't. It's true I was here first; it's just that I was too late… besides, I'm sure _Jóia _is better off with you…" He smiled warmly, all the more I was suspicious of him.

"_Sinto muito, Ronaldo… só se você não tivesse ido ..." _Jewel looked at him pleadingly, and he gave her an expression that told her that everything was fine with him. It was still incredible to me. {Só se você não tivesse ido ...= If only you had not been gone...}

"_Está tudo bem_, _Jóia. Blu é seu erva-mate; eu deveria respeitar a escolha da minha irmã, certo?_" He gave her a comforting look, putting a wing on her briefly before dropping it. {Blu é seu erva-mate; Eu deveria respeitar a escolha da minha irmã, certo? = Blu is your mate; I should respect my sister's choice right?}

He turned his attention to me again. "You're her mate, so I… I should give you my blessing."

"But you still have feelings don't you?" I questioned.

He frowned. "I do, but… I won't let it get in the way. I'll let you and Jewel live happily… I promise. Just let me stay here with my sister, could you?"

I smiled. Jewel was his sister- who gave me the right to put them apart? He might have been Jewel's lovebird [I knew this was definitely not incest; 'siblings' was more of a sentimental value than a legal term, unlike in the human world] but he was willing to sacrifice that title for his sister… it was obvious he was a decent bird. He would make a great friend, since he was so protective of Jewel. "Sure, Ronaldo. I forgive you."

His expression brightened, and so did mine- we were now on mutually good terms. What initially seemed like a tangle of an unexpected love triangle… it became unknotted, and it was because of the goodwill of Ronaldo.

"_Obrigado, amigo. Obrigado_." Ronaldo's words were free of any ill-intention.

I squinted, oblivious to its English meaning. Jewel again sensed this and explained it. "He meant to thank you, Blu," she said.

I turned my attention to her. Suddenly I realised that not only did I wrong Ronaldo… I wronged Jewel too. It would devastate me if she wouldn't forgive me for attacking his half-brother… part of me told me that she was not that insensitive but if she would hold this to her heart… I was doomed.

"Jewel…" I whispered softly, sincere apology laced into my tone and my vision getting slightly cloudy... "I-… I'm so sorry about this misunderstanding. C-… Could you forgive me? I… I'm just so s-"

At this point Jewel interrupted, with a gentle, graceful smile on her face. "It's OK, Blu. I… I'm at fault too. I'm sorry; I should've told you, but now… you've accepted Ronaldo. That makes me happy. And of course, I'll still love you- you're my mate after all… and no one can replace you in my heart, Blu."

On seeing that Jewel had fully forgiven me, a feeling of relief swept through me, as if a huge burden had been lifted. Jewel wouldn't hold to her heart… that was important. As long as she would let this go, this misunderstanding before it could get into a tangle… that was important.

"Thank you, Jewel. I forgive you too…" I whispered again, and in response she jerked her head upwards for her beak to converge softly with mine, and that sweet, nostalgic feeling flooded all my senses again, making me succumb to the passion of the kiss…

Again, we were interrupted with a much clearer, deeper clearing of the throat, by a navy-blue Macaw next to us. A red colour begun to creep into our expressions, as my eyes met his hard turquoise eyes.

"Um… I know she's your mate, but… you know. It's kind of like… smacking me in the beak." Ronaldo said awkwardly.

Jewel chuckled lightly at my confused face. "Ronaldo can't get idioms right. He means rubbing it in his face." I didn't dare laugh.

She then turned to her half-brother, half-assuring-half-sheepish. _Desculpe Ronaldo ... isso não vai acontecer na frente de você de novo, eu prometo_." {Desculpe Ronaldo ... isso não vai acontecer na frente de você de novo, eu prometo = Sorry Ronaldo ... it will not happen in front of you again, I promise}

Ronaldo roared in laughter heartily, and all the awkwardness melted away, glee marked on his face. "_Não é grande coisa, Jóia. Não importa para mim, só faço o que quiser com seu erva-mate, e ser feliz. isso é tudo que importa_." At this, Jewel smiled back, as Ronaldo hugged her briefly [apparently, in respect of me] in approval of her choice. {Não é grande coisa, Jóia. Não importa para mim, só faço o que quiser com seu erva-mate, e ser feliz. isso é tudo que importa. = It's no big deal, Jewel. It does not matter to me, just do what you want with your mate and be happy. That's all that matters.}

And, on thinking of the future that withheld the wonders of me and Jewel, all suspicion of their initial love blew away in the wind.

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><p>~Ronaldo, in English of course~<p>

I will never forget the day that I was taken away from my Jewel.

We were only 14 at the time. Can you imagine? Out of the 15 years I knew Jewel, as a half-sister, but with a sentimental value more extensive than just a mere sister, only 1 was spent as lovebirds. It was such a small fraction of the time that I spent with her as platonic friends…

I remember Jewel's ecstatic expression just to be by the side of the one she loved. The way she laughed was melodious and sweet, captivating me every time she giggled lightly. I remember that time there was a light breeze in the air, bringing leaves with it as it swept through the atmosphere. The greenery provided a peaceful backdrop, where Jewel and I were strolling, talking about trivial matters that were specks in my memory. Specks compared to what occurred next.

I remembered spotting the cage. It was so huge, looming above us and ready to eat up whatever came in its path on the way to the ground. In my case, it was Jewel. I couldn't let that happen, and my first instinctive reaction was to rescue Jewel before she could be trapped in the cage.

I remember yelling Jewel's name, and I remember her stunned expression as I thrust my body to get her out of the way of the cage's path. Of course I ended up being the victim of the metal prison. I felt so indignant at the stupid humans and their smugglers- how could they separate birds from the nature that they love most? Humans… they were cruel, always lusting after what they want- money. It was not fair. But whatever it was, I had to get Jewel to evacuate as soon as possible.

"RUN JEWEL! BEFORE THEY CATCH YOU!" The sheer audacity of my words ripped through my eardrums every time it seeped into my memory. I remember Jewel screaming my name, helpless as I was confined to my prison, as tears begun to well up in her sapphire eyes.. I remembered yelling so hard that my vocal chords burned for Jewel to fly away, to escape before they take her hostage too… she needed to be saved from the wrath of humans. She deserved it.

I remember the jerk of the cage, pulling me upwards, and I remember watching a gloved hand reach out for Jewel, to catch her and become a pawn, part of their malicious schemes…. That was when sense knocked into her, like a giant rock hurled at her. She flew away, into the distance, until the little azure speck vanished in the distance.

This was the worst part- being alone, with no one next to me. It was a cold, agonizing experience, like a knife slowly cutting through me and torturing me… it was not pleasant, to say the least. Not without someone to comfort me and be by my side…

But I begun to feel happier when I begun to concentrate on the future that awaited Jewel… she could restart her life anew, become a new bird, and be who she ever wanted to be without being burdened by me. She was free... free to do whatever she wanted. It made me smile.

Of course, I hadn't considered the fact that she would get over me. And find a _mate_, nonetheless…

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><p><em>Sigh… Ok, here in Singapore holidays are ending soon, so I probably won't have time to update as much as now… <em>_sorry guys. The good news is that I've planned out most of the chapters already, so I'm on track right now…_

_Oh, and by the way, I just realised that Blu is about 15... yeah. I was thinking otherwise, like Blu was 20 or something like that, but the movie said 15, apparently. So it'll be kinda awkward. Heh._

_So I'll clear this up:  
>-Blu, Jewel and Ronaldo are all 16. Let's assume Blu is 1 when he got captured.<br>-Jewel and Ronaldo 'dated' at 14. At 15 Ronaldo was captured, leaving Jewel in the absence of him for 1 year._

_So please review. Urr… yeah. :/ Please; tell me what you think._

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	7. Some Other Stranger

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Hey guys… I'm sorry but I'm having block [again] and this chapter won't be that good… it's a filler chapter. The next chapter I'll work on will be Love? So please wait for this story… again. =_=_

**Blu Wolf 23: Yeah, it ain't over, and as for that, you'll have to watch and see…;D**

**Elyahu: I've fixed that little thing, so it seems better now… I think. :/**

**BluJewel4ever: O_O No… I don't even watch that. Haha…**

**Zacarais: Thanks! I managed to appease you… heh. :D Regarding Blu, I'm trying to give him that jealous side of Jewel now he has 'obtained' [I can't use a good word here] her as a mate… and for Ronaldo, you'll have to see… I might just surprise you. ;)**

**Storylover Alpha 01: -sigh in relief- Whew… anyways thank you for that; anyways I'm extremely honoured. :)**

**Mord44: Thank you very much. But… I know… :|**

**WolfOnFyre: I'm not a robot… -_- Haha. Anyways thank you; I'll try to feed as much as I can. I'm so glad that you like my stories; yours are spectacular**…

_Anyways I got news: aSkileneFan has asked me to beta-read his/her story, and… it's very unique. I might be VERY slow on updates because of this, but trust me, his/her story is definitely worth beta-reading… =]_

_So enough blabber, let's go on:_

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><p>~Jewel~<p>

I knew that my life would be totally altered; I knew it from the moment my eyes met Ronaldo's hard turquoise ones. I knew I had disappointed Ronaldo, having thrown away all those memories of him after mistaking him to have been dead, and replaced it with 'some other stranger'. I could imagine his heart rip to pieces when he realised Blu was my _erva-mate_. It hurt so much…

I also knew that Blu would fly into a rage, the moment my beak touched Ronaldo's… it was going to turn nasty, to say the least. I also knew that the same effect would be enforced upon Blu, another victim of my choices and my past… I knew that it would take millenniums to earn both parties' forgiveness…

But I guess I was wrong about the latter.

I couldn't believe it- Blu had so easily let go of everything, having been explained the past was past… I knew that Ronaldo was honest, brutally even, and he was sincere when he told Blu that he would not hound after me… but why did Blu believe him so easily? How could he, considering he had more recently saw a stranger douse my oral senses with his saliva… it was incredible. Part of me reassured me that Blu [being the clueless, innocent bird I first met] would not hold such a thing to his heart, and that he was a forgiving bird. But the other side of me told me that he was hiding something…

And Ronaldo… how could he just throw away everything he lived for in a flash? He was my half-brother and even lovebird for such a long time… how could he thrust all that valued to his heart to someone else? It baffled me, that he would do such an uphill task, the equivalent of pulling an arrow from your chest... Part of me told me that he wanted the best for me, but the other told me he was scheming something…

It confounded me, and my mind was in a blur as I tried to decipher such a mystery, that one could be so forgiving and the other could be so… thoughtful. The answer evaded me… when it was so simple [yet so terrifying]:

They both loved me, at the same time.

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><p>I dread to admit this, but I will be practical and weigh the reasons and factors here- I have concluded that comparatively, Ronaldo would be a better mate than Blu would. I love Blu, much more than Ronaldo too, but this is true. Catapult all the pitchforks you want, but I knew Ronaldo for not one year, not two years, but FIFTEEN years. I've seen all of his good traits from top to bottom, and, let's face it, he would understand me better.<p>

To balance this, Blu understands me as well, he would treat me well, and he loves me so much, as I to him. I chose him as MY MATE, and that's serious, since the title of the mate is almost equivalent to a royal crown, or an unbreakable bond between us. But I knew him for 5 days, a fraction of my childhood spent with Ronaldo. The worrying and spine-shivering thing is, there is that uneasily ignorable possibility that he would hurl all the parts of my heart into burning fire, or even BETRAY me. Such an outcome I dreaded… but it could come true, considering Blu is almost equivalent to a stranger to me sans all the days that I treasured being next to him…

This was probably what streaked through Ronaldo's mind when Blu begun to recall the short adventure that had occurred between us. Ronaldo wasn't amused though, swiftly pointing out all the matters that he was unhappy about. I had to admit, though, many of the artificial factors he indicated were thought-provoking.

1. We met because humans brought us together to mate, of which I rejected.  
>2. He couldn't fly at all and he was a 'nerd-bird'.<br>3. I had to be chained to him to be stuck with him.  
>4. In 3 days we had a fight.<br>5. My wing was broken and we almost died. And for the grand finale:  
>6. We mated while he was <em>drunk<em>.

So of course it didn't make much sense. Blu was visibly traumatised by this, and I immediately rebuked Ronaldo. The fact is, logic may try to repel me away from Blu but the only reason why Blu and I are mates is this- we love each other. And love needs no logic as a foundation. Ronaldo couldn't understand this; however, he remained rather sceptical about me and Blu… although he didn't voice it out.

Inevitably he changed the subject and his expression melted away to become cheery again, and he decided to check on his friend. We jolted- we had been so busy scrutinising my past that we had forgotten our other feathered friend with his wing broken. We decided to go examine his well-being.

"So how did your friend break his wing?" Blu questioned, attempting to grasp me with his talons to fly, as Ronaldo's emotionless stare aimed in our direction.

"Probably the way yours did." Ronaldo's tone was matter-of-fact. Blu did not sense anything.

The light flutter of wings settlingon a table in the clinic was picked up by Linda's apparent keen sense of hearing, as she stole a glance from behind, but she quickly turned her attention back to Tulio's tending of the bird on the same table.

Now that I had a closer look at the bird, I noticed that it was a female bird, with the same arrangement of feathers dangling from the back of her head. Her feathers were the same shade of blue as Blu's, but her tail feathers, which were comparatively long, had streaks of black. Her ruby eyes stared at her left wing, the wing that Tulio carefully examined, and occasionally she squawked in pain, with reasonable volume. I could understand- on the wing were obvious red scratches, though superficial, they were enough for pain to ripple through her body as Tulio applied some antiseptic and a bandage.

After a while, Tulio decided to take a break and he, Fernando and Linda left, leaving the four birds alone in the room.

The stranger shot me and Blu a confused look, before shifting her gaze at Ronaldo to ask: "_Ronaldo, quem são esses pássaros_?" {Quem são esses pássaros? = Who are these birds?}

Ronaldo went over to her side and gestured to Blu by pointing his wing. "_Este é Blu_." The bird, with a gleeful, ecstatic smile plastered on her face, streteched out her talon to shake. Blu reciprocated in courtesy. "_Olá, meu nome é Lisa_," she said. {Este é Blu = This is Blu; Olá, meu nome é Lisa= Hello, my name is Lisa}

Ronaldo chuckled softly on seeing Blu's puzzled expression, and he explained to Lisa, "_Ele é Americano_."

Lisa's expression turned bewildered. "You're American?" She asked Blu. When Blu nodded, she added, "I never seen an _Americano _up close before…"

Then, to my utter shock, she went to Blu and… and she started to _sniff_ Blu, like she was trying to pick up some unique _Americano_ scent if it ever existed. She then stared into Blu's chocolate eyes in wonder. "You look like me! But you smell different… you smell of _Americano_." Blu laughed uneasily, backing up a nanometre to me. I rolled my eyes; obviously she was incapable of deciphering the mystery of looking mysteriously identical- being of the same species.

Ronaldo then gestured to me. "_Este é Jóia, de Blu… erva-mate_."

I stretched out my claw, and she shook it, slightly uneasy and her smile replaced with a half-downcast-half-surprised face. "_Você está de Blu erva-mate_?"

"_Sim_," I replied. {Sim = Yes}

The curves of her beak twitched. "_Você é… um p-… pássaro de sorte, Jóia_," she replied, and in response a light pink flush appeared in my expression. "_Obrigado_," I replied. {Você é um pássaro de sorte = you're a lucky bird}

Having been left out of the conversation, Blu intercepted, "Lisa, have you ever met Jewel before, even from young? Surely you must've because you were a Spix's Macaw too…"

"No. I'm Portuguese- as in, I'm from Portugal."

Ronaldo continued on her behalf, directed at me [and for the first time, in English out of courtesy of Blu's appearance]. "You see Jewel, when I got captured I got shipped off to Portugal where I had to be locked up with a bunch of other birds… obviously Lisa stood out as one of me. But we quickly devised a plan to escape, and so here we are. There was nothing much."

Lisa frowned, and she looked at Ronaldo. "By the way, why did you want to go to Rio anyway? We could've just stayed in Portugal…"

"Because, Lisa, Jewel was my friend. In fact she was my _girlfriend."_

At this statement Lisa's eyes widened. "B-…" she stammered. "But Jewel is Blu's mate! How could…"

Ronaldo shook his head grimly. "She thought I was dead," he whispered softly yet eerily. Lisa nodded; having comprehended the situation I was subject to, simple words that allowed her to see the light. I looked into Ronaldo's drooped eyes, and watched one sole teardrop fall from his eyes. I could feel the stab in his heart as he thought of those 15 years that he spent with me… one spent in vain. It wasn't fair to him, but… it wasn't my fault. It was fate's decision…

However he picked himself up, and he forced a crooked smile. "Anyways you can figure out the rest," he said in a gallop. "But I'm over it; it's fine."

Lisa then shrieked in pain, a sharp but brief shrill as she clutched her left wing pitifully, cringing in pain. Ronaldo stared at it, worried. "How bad is it Lisa?"

Lisa squinted, trying to weigh the pain and find the right word in her list of Portuguese vocabulary to describe it. "_Maldito ruim,"_ she muttered. {Maldito ruim = Fu(king bad}

"How'd you break the wing anyway?" Blu inquired, his eyes stupidly trying his best to see through the bandage and see the wound, as if he had some superpower.

"Didn't I tell you?" Ronaldo snapped with some impatience. "The same way that_ Jóia_ broke hers."

"But Ronaldo the odds of a cage dropping from two metres to smash her wing aren't very likely. I mean the lacerations were not that shallow."

Ronaldo's eyes widened. "Oh." He muttered, obviously been proven wrong.

"It was stupid, really." Lisa explained. "I walked _straight into a knife!_ Can you imagine! It was just sticking from… from something, and then I just ran into it! I don't even know _how!_ That's just ridiculous!" She laughed humorously.

Ronaldo rolled his eyes. "You were racing me on land."

"Oh, yeah." Lisa seconded. "But still. I've flown in the air for 16 years and that was the first time I ran! And there was a knife; can you believe it! I guess flying is better." She knocked her head with her good wing, as if to drill the note into her mentality.

"I object," Blu interrupted. "When you travel on claw your vision of ahead would be gifted with better clarity, comparatively to flapping your near muscle-void wings at optimal velocity, quickly straining your brain and affecting your sight via the nervous system… birds would eventually crash-land due to overworked fatigue, but as for walking they can halt for a respite before resuming."

Blu was greeted with three pairs of confused and bewildered eyes, of which the beholders' English skills were not superior enough to decipher what Blu had said…

"_Meu cérebro dói_…" Lisa grunted, breaking the thread of silence that lingered awkwardly in the air. She rubbed her head. "_O que fez ele disse?"_ {Meu cérebro dói = my brain hurts; O que fez ele disse = what did he say?}

"Eu não sei, Lisa" Ronaldo answered with the same dazed look as Lisa. "Ele é sempre assim, Jóia?" {Eu não sei = I don't know; Ele é sempre assim = Is he always like that?}

"Yes," I said. Pedro would have called this a 'COMBO BREAKER' but I had to steer away from the Portuguese for the sake of Blu. "And _that_'s why I love him." Then I pulled him into a deep kiss, catching him off guard as I moved my beak rhythmically yet intensely along with his…

After pulling away I could see our so-called spectators' response, and it was somewhat similar to me and Blu's reaction to Rafael and Eva- Ronaldo's look suggested he was stifling something in his stomach from having an encore visit, while Lisa looked on, amazed and peculiar of the love depicted in that one beak-lock…

"So why do you love me again?" Blu asked, clueless. I smiled and wrapped a wing around him. "Because you're so pleasantly innocent and cute," I crooned softly, laying my head on his supposed-shoulder, his neck area.

Lisa continued staring with her curious ruby eyes. "How did you guys meet anyway?"

Blu sighed in exasperation, and again he launched into retelling the experience of him in Rio… and the story of us the moment we met to becoming mates in the end. It was the second time he retold it; he was exhausted but I would never get tired of this story… of Blu accompanying me through the whole of Rio, learning to fly, saving my life and mating… it always captivated me, even though it sounded like a rushed love story to the third-person-party, it would always have the same ending- me and Blu together.

Lisa stared at us, and to my surprise she was completely mesmerized by our story. "That's so romantic," she crooned, and to that I gave no response. No response would be appropriate in this situation… obviously we were glad she appreciated it but obviously saying 'thank you' would be… awkward. I stole a glimpse at Blu's face- his pupils shrank into his whites, also speechless.

Fortunately, and rather opportunely, Tulio, Linda and Fernando came back.

"Oh good, you four have met," Tulio remarked, as he studied Lisa's wing again, with less tenderness than was supposed to be required and as a result Lisa squawked in agony for the third time. But this time something overcame her, an unknown force that drove her to drive her beak into Tulio's hand, biting with such intensity that Tulio yelled in pain before clutching his hand in an attempt to relieve the pain. He cringed as he examined his hand- a clear bite mark was there complete with a red rim.

"That doctor doesn't know how to treat a lady properly," Lisa muttered, with no guilt of the offense she committed. But she felt something was amiss when she saw two pairs of stupefied eyes stare at her. Ronaldo, however, shot her a furious look. She squinted at us. "What?"

"You-…. You bit Tulio! Why?" I exclaimed as my mentality overcame the initial shock.

Lisa creased her brow. "I retaliated in pain. What did you expect me to do?"

"But-" Ronaldo held his wing up before I could finish my sentence.

"Sorry, _Jóia_, but Lisa's very temperamental… she can't stand not being treated well." Ronaldo explained, trying to pacify me as if Tulio held some significant sentimental value to me. Then he turned to Lisa and berated her. "_O que eu informá-lo sobre morder os seres humanos, Lisa? Você nunca aprende não é?_" {O que eu informá-lo sobre morder os seres humanos, Lisa? Você nunca aprende não é? = What I tell you about biting humans, Lisa? You never learn do you?}

Lisa's expression melted and she hung her head in shame, having gotten over the past events. "_Sinto muito, Ronaldo_."

The way Lisa behaved intrigued me- the way she acted towards Blu was so strange, sniffing him from top to bottom and referring him as _Americano_. She also said she had ran straight into a knife… shouldn't she have seen it in the first place, even if she was running? It made no sense. And the way she so hastily and aggressively pecked Tulio's hand… it was all so odd. Then when Ronaldo scolded her [in a manner a father does to his daughter, no less] she cooled down. My mind tried to puzzle the pieces together

Before anybody could say anything, Tulio returned, a plaster on his hand where he suffered an uncalled-for beak attack, with Linda donning a concerned expression. "Well, I think I can safely say that your friend has enough energy to move on… ouch…" He cringed, cradling his bad hand with his good one.

"But what are we gonna do with them?" Fernando asked confused as to what to do with the four of us.

Tulio frowned. "I guess they'll have to stay put over here in the artificial jungle. Jewel and Lisa have their wings broken… they'll have to put up with each other for a while."

I stared at the people around me. There was Blu, the one I love but our relationship was possibly on the brink of falling apart…

There was Ronaldo, the one I used to love and my half-brother, but to Blu was a virtual enemy…

And there was Lisa.

It was then that I knew that it was going to be a long night.

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><p><em>Yes… I know I should've written more, but I'm kinda stuck here. I've only managed to plan out FAR into the story, because a bunch of the more recent ideas got thrown out of the window. Sigh…<em>

_**R**__ead this:  
><em>_**e**__veryone who  
><em>_**v**__iews this message,  
><em>_**i**__n respect of what I've done so far  
><em>_**e**__nd off your experience by  
><em>_**w**__riting a review!_

_Gosh that was lame. =.=_

I

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I

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	8. Treasure the Jewel Heart

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_I'm backkkkk~~ Hope you enjoy this chapter filled with [you guessed it] BluxJewel stuff. Enjoy, people, I've put some work into it. Though the result was not what I had expected… oh well._

**Lover of a Good Story: Thank you, and yeah. HOPEFULLY NOT; I won't spoil everything but I… I'm unpredictable. You'll see. ;)**

**Blu Wolf 23: Thanks but… O_O *cringes* That's kinda weird. Heh. Anyways hope you enjoy this.**

**Spyromaster64: Thank you, my friend. :) SO here's the update you've been looking for; Hopefully I'll be able to keep up the good work…**

**Elyahu: OK, OK… Sorry. O_O And maybe I'll write that; haha…**

**Zacarais. Tell me about it. Sigh… Yes, that was what I was intending… but no. In case you missed it Jewel didn't REALLY want to kiss Ronaldo… she was drawn in by him. Might have messed that part up. And for that vagueness… this is what I want as well. So keep guessing. ;) And for that third one… sorry, sorry. I wanted to use a good synonym, but I put it too extreme. T_T Anyways thanks for the review.**

**Storylover Alpha 01: *shocked* Oh really? Ahhh… never mind. What's done can't be undone. Anyways I didn't know it would be so ridiculously fantastic… thanks. :D **

And now… *drum roll* Time for… the next chapter! *hi-hat clash* *crowd screams while confetti rains down*

…

…hopefully I won't write something as lame as that. -.-

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><p>One of the greatest reliefs that having a broken wing has ever had was being provided with a valid excuse to not fly anywhere- Tulio [and I'll be grateful for this move, forever] had placed me and Blu in the same knothole [since, technically, we were both mates, having such a bond with one another] and Ronaldo and Lisa in one further away. It put the latter two at a loss, to be fair to them, but at least there wouldn't be much awkwardness between us…<p>

Blu had no reason to leave me- having suffered from such an emotional rollercoaster over the past day, it was time for me to turn in, and besides, to him Ronaldo was almost like a rival in love, and Lisa a weird native Portuguese that had previously sniffed him. Ronaldo had come in to check on me, as his little sister, just to survey my welfare. Apparently he did not believe my words when I assured him that Blu was enough to take care of me. When he brought up that cage incident, one he did not participate in, one that Blu had rightfully caused, in his own mentality, I could see Blu trying to repress the anger, gritting his beak together and clutching my wing with such tightness just to prevent himself from erupting in fury. I did not pursue this matter, and soon enough neither did my half-brother. After having done the so-called 'necessary', he obliged to leave me and my mate alone, and he flew off in a flurry, although I could feel his heavy turquoise eyes drill into me every now and then.

This was the opportune moment to do some confession to Blu, I thought, as we were confined to the same knothole that we both shared and called home. But before I could utter a single word, he beat me to it.

"Jewel," he started, staring at me with those sincere and sorrow-filled eyes and taking my shoulders with his wings. "I… I don't know where to begin, I… I'm just so…so… I can't even explain it." He exhaled sharply in exasperation.

"Blu," I said. "If you're thinking about Ronaldo and me… well it's past. And past is past."

"Yeah… but," he sighed again, and he scowled. "I don't trust him, really. He says he's given up on you but yet… he's almost like… like he's the _antagonist_ here."

I frowned. "Blu, I told you. My heart belongs to you … Ronaldo is past, Blu. I gave myself to you, not him."

His expression did not falter. "Yes but what if he steals you from me?" His eyes flared in intensity as he spoke this. "Ronaldo's your half-brother, Jewel. He holds a significant value in your heart, Jewel. Love can't die that easily, Jewel. I don't he'll just surrender to me so easily…"

I put my wing near Blu's face, similar to that of the motion a human makes when cupping another's face, as his sombre eyes glimmered in the dim artificial light. What he said was not incorrect- Ronaldo, at least in Blu's mind, automatically classifies as the villain, the one who loved me and would probably rob the space that I had for Blu… he was my half-brother after all, and I held some sort of love for him. But I had already mentally decided my own fate. Blu was the one who stood by me ever since he came to Rio, the one who saved me from those smugglers, the one who promised me he would never leave me. There was no way he would present me empty shells of words…

The short duration of time only bonded us together, stronger as well. Time might be crucial in a relationship, to ensure that you trust each other and sincerely love each other, but the fact that he told me he loved me in three days… all the more suited he is to be my mate. The way he spoke it with such determination and sincerity… could he be lying? He was so honest all the way through… for me to give him my heart; to someone who's almost a stranger… it only proved one thing.

"Listen, Blu," I declared. "I love you_. My_ love for you won't die easily, and there's nothing, not even Ronaldo, can replace that. You understand me?"

He didn't. "Why would you, Jewel? When Ronaldo would be a much better mate than me and you know him better than me… Why me and why not him?"

Suddenly a rage entered me again, igniting every part of my mind… but it was different. It was not a true rage, not the type that would not consume itself, the type that was a grudge to hold like a candlestick, but one that was a short explosion. The reason? Blu was viewing himself like a burden to me, weight upon his shoulders… and that was simply not true. He thought I didn't love him, that the part that Ronaldo had claimed in my heart outweighed the part he did… and it was an incorrect conjecture. It was almost as if he was giving up on everything, all the memories that we shared, the precious moments that we treasured, they paled in comparison to Ronaldo's experience with me. That was not the case for me.

The anger dominated me, forcing the muscles in my wing to whip back and fly right across his face in a thwack, his face reeling back with the sudden force. I could see his eyes wide, on the verge of popping out and rolling on the floor, and the lower part of his beak trembling, as he tried to come to terms with what I did. Part of me wailed in agonising regret, but another told me that this way… was the only way for him to see my logic.

When the regained the ability to look into my eyes again, he stared at me as his expression pulse with electrifying shock, as his mind struggled to wrap around the slap. "J… J…. Jewel… w-w-what was t-that f-f-for?" He stuttered uneasily.

My determination did not dampen out as I shrieked, "I'm sorry, Blu, but you're just so _damn _blind! Why can't you see that I love you? Does anything else matter to you? Do I have to _die_ in front of you just to prove to you how much I love you?"- We both flinched at this thought; I could envision him internally cringing- "Don't you _believe_ me, Blu?"

He exhaled again, a single drop of moisture trickling down one of his eyes. "I do, Jewel… but every time I picture Ronaldo, I just get this… this _jealousy_, that he was here first and he loved you like a mate… Jewel, I'm sorry…"

"I don't want your apology, Blu. I want to know something," I stared in his eyes, the fire in mine still ablaze. "Do _you_ love me? Or rather, do you love me enough to convince me that I made the right decision?"

"And what decision is that?" I growled in frustration.

"That I love you and not Ronaldo."

For the second time, Blu reeled back in shock, inhaling sharply in a gasp. What I said was not cooked up from a pot- it only made sense that if Blu did not treasure the extent of the space I had given him in my heart, then… it wasn't worth it.

He just stood there, gazing at me as his mind pondered over this… there was a silence that lingered for what seemed like millenniums… it was deafeningly painful, as my hopes of him to tell me that he'll love me back and treasure me begun to slowly fade away into nothingness…

Then, before I could throw in the towel, he drew me in close for a kiss, our beaks converging as that sweet feeling of passionate love extinguished the anger in me… and I forgot all my worries and doubts as I succumbed to the kiss… I knew what Blu was trying to prove, and I was gleeful. It showed that to him, now everybody and everything else didn't matter to him… only me and my love was the treasure in his eyes. I wrapped my wing around him, pulling him closer to me as our beaks synchronised in their movements…

"I love you, Jewel." He whispered huskily as we pulled away. "You're right- I'm just paranoid… when I should know that nothing else matters, but being right next to you, to be by your side when the world ends, to be yours forever…"

I smiled in contentment, as I placed my head on what would be Blu's chest. "I love you too Blu… and I assure you, I promise with all my heart that I will forever. Not even my brother will come in the way of that…" My voice trailed off, as my olfactory senses were doused in Blu's distinct titillating aroma... and he tightened the embrace.

But what I had testified, it was completely true. Although Ronaldo, indeed the reason why I'm not in pieces and one who had my interests at heart… I did not love him the way I loved Blu. For Ronaldo, I loved him like a brother, one who could provide me shelter and relate to, or when I'm tormented by the horrors of life. But Blu was the one who _would_ protect me in the end; the one who would fully understand me and hold me next to him… it was a comforting thought.

Then his eyes dropped to meet mine. "I trust you, with all my heart and soul, Jewel. I promise that I'll treasure you like a diamond in the sand, a real jewel to hold forever in my wings…" His voice trailed off, as he lay down on the ground, his body leaned up against the 'wall' of the knothole and my body on top of his and our wings around each other. It was truly moments like these that were like diamonds in the sand, the ones I would treasure in my heart… the moments that I could spend alone with Blu, exchanging sweet nothings [the irony of the word itself] and just laying in each other's wings...

Then, after I wrapped my mind around his last statement, I noticed the significance of the metaphor. "A real Jewel?

He chuckled lightly. "Yes, a real Jewel… one that would sparkle when I hold it. Jewel… I love you. I loved you ever since I came here, when we were captured and forced in the wilderness, when you helped me to fly, survive and danced with me, when I saved our lives and when we mated… I'll always be with you."

I smiled gently. "As so will I," I proclaimed. Then, before I knew it, our faces begun to lean forward again, the distance closing between us again, and I closed my eyes and anticipated myself…

"Jewel," Blu interrupted, spoiling the mood, as he frowned. "I'm sorry for everything… I should trust you and just keep in mind that-"

I put my wing on his beak, signifying for him to hush up. "Shut up and kiss me," I ordered, a smirk on my face that flashed across my beak, reciprocated by my mate soon afterwards, before it converged with his, the sweet taste of his beak overwhelming me again… the vivacious rhythm overcame me, and my tongue slithered out to toy with his own, dancing passionately with each other…

When he pulled away, he breathed heavily, the scent of his breath dominating my nostrils, as our eyes locked for what seemed like an eternity… and even without any words flowing from his beak, I knew what he was thinking. He loved me. And that fact won't change under any circumstance, under any storm or any catastrophe, it would last. Or at least, this was what I thought, and expected to mirror back to me…

Then his pupils swerved to the left, where the entrance of the knothole was, and almost immediately shrunk in size. I followed his path of vision, wondering what was troubling him. I understood why when I caught a pair of familiar turquoise eyes, which were enlarged and its beholder was frozen with shock.

"Um…" Ronaldo stuttered, trying to find the right words to use in his vocabulary. "I heard _Jóia _yell quite angrily, so I came to look and… I guess you sorted it out already."

"Sorry, Ronaldo," Blu muttered almost inaudibly, his face as red as Pedro's feathers. "I didn't see you there."

My half-brother chuckled deeply. "_Esta tudo bem, meu amigo._ Just wanted to see how you two were coming along, that was all."

"Thank you, _irmão_," I said, rather impatiently and uncomfortable that he was there spying on us… _making out_. "Now shoo, go away, leave us alone." I waved my wing at him, my voice void of any harmful or malicious intention.

He grinned impishly, one that would always inform me that as a brother he was entitled to fool around with me, and just be himself. "Adeus, _Jóia. Adeus, Blu." _{Adeus = goodbye}

When he had fluttered away out of sight, Blu smiled, throwing away the past minute into infidelity. But before he could say anything, a yawn escaped from his beak, signalling his tiredness. "Sleepy…" he mumbled in an adorable manner, snuggling me closer as he leaned his back down... I could sense the exhaustion marked in his voice, and I saw the droopiness in his eyes… but he smiled. "I love you, Jewel.'

I decided not to disturb him from his drifting to slumber. "I love you too… Good night." I muttered, and I felt his beak brush lightly on my forehead, as I turned my body so my back was facing him, but still in his wings' embrace.

I could feel his chest rise and fall, or rather press on my back every now and then, and my auditory senses detected his slow and steady breathing. I had no idea whether it was the warmth of his body, his heavy breathing or his scent, but insomnia continued to hover over me. I couldn't sleep… and this irritated me. This wasn't going to work; I needed my hours in slumber to rejuvenate me… I had no other option.

"Blu." This word from my mouth immediately awakened my mate, and as I turned around to meet his eyes, he stared at me with those concerned, soft chocolate-brown eyes. "Yes, my love?" he asked, and I giggled lightly. That was a first… he was giving me all sorts of names.

"Blu… I can't sleep. This may sound silly but… can you sing me to sleep?"

He perked up. "A lullaby? Isn't that a little… childish?"

I laughed again, melodious and appreciative of humour, but void of any weariness, much to my dismay. "Just any song will do."

He smiled, as all weariness in him dissipated, shifting both of our bodies in a position such that he lay straight on the ground, no longer arched along the wall of the hollow. My head lay on his chest, his chest feathers acting as a pillow for my head, our wings still around each other. He squinted, as he attempted to pull out an appropriate song from his mind, one that would help me drift off into the land of dreams…

Then a wide smile stretched across his face, and his throaty voice he whispered:

_You've got that smile…  
>That only heaven can make;<br>I pray to God everyday  
>That you keep that smile…<em>

The tune was melodious, sweet, but above all, beautiful. I closed my eyes contentedly… as my mind absorbed the lyrics that seemed to have been strung from the guitar of Blu's heart:

_You are my dream…  
>There's not a thing I won't do;<br>I'd give my life up for you  
>'cos you are my dream…<em>

The will to sleep was almost tangible, but it never seemed to activate upon me… all I could think of was the words that Blu sung so sweetly and from the depths of his heart…

_And baby everything that I have is yours  
>You will never grow cold or hungry,<br>I'll be there when you're insecure,  
>Let you know that you're always lovely, girl,<br>'cos you are… the only thing that I got right now…_

At this point the tears of pure joy begun to well up in my eyes, as Blu's voice begun to grow huskier and the harmony of the song reached its peak:

_One day, when the sky is falling,  
>I'll be standing right Next to You… right Next to You…<br>Nothing will ever come between us,  
>cos' I'll be standing right Next to You… right Next to You…<em>

"Stop, Blu," I managed, my throat hoarse, as I began to cry lightly, the tears flowing profusely down my face… the lyrics were simply too much. They spoke so much…

"What's wrong, Jewel?" Blu spoke with distinct sorrow marked in his tone, as he drew his face closer to mine to rub off my tears. "Why are you sad?"

There was a pause, as I tried to recover as much as I could from the rather immature sobbing fit I was stuck in. "I'm not sad, Blu," I attempted to explain with my throaty voice. "I've never been so overjoyed before… Blu!" This time I had lost it completely and instantly- I buried my face into Blu's chest again, sobbing my eyes out oh-so-melodramatically… but I couldn't help it. My heart felt like it was given a taste of heaven… the way Blu sung to me, it was entirely sincere. I could tell it as well; love could make you do that, to be able to differentiate between just empty hollow shells of words, to ones that were like jewels, like diamonds in the sand that you could hold and keep forever… that's how you knew your mate. And from the trueness and heart juices in Blu's words… I knew it, at that point, that he was destined to be my mate. Call it illogical or nonsensical… but that was love. And no matter how ridiculous it was, you wanted to treasure it.

I could picture him smile lovingly at me as he kissed my forehead lightly. "There, there, Jewel…" I heard him console. "I was just singing what I thought of you, that's all…"

"That's the point," I muffled through his chest feathers, hearing his voice trail off. "I… I didn't know you would love me so much…"

"That's silly," he answered. "You taught me something, Jewel… that was to treasure the person I loved most, no matter what. You're more than just a Jewel in my heart, you're my everything, my dream and you are my life… and I love you."

He drew me in for another brief beak-lock, before gazing into my eyes again… I could see the tears in his eyes, making them sparkle like a pair of brown gems. The way he looked at me… it reassured me that I had made the right decision- the one I would entrust the jewel of my heart to. The one I would trust and treasure forever and the one that would protect my heart from any storm or attack… Blu could do it. Ronaldo… he could do it better than Blu did, but the fact is Blu… he _loved_ me so dearly… that was all I needed.

"I love you, too, Blu…" I whispered softly, and I meant every word of it. Blu tightened his embrace around me, the warmth instantaneously detected.

Blu smiled lovingly. "I call it 'Next to You'. But Jewel…" –he gazed into my eyes solemnly- "I swear, cross my heart" –he released me momentarily to draw an X-sign on his, and subsequently mine, chest- "I'll always love, protect and, most of all, just be right next to you. No matter what happens."

The last tear flowed from my eyes. "Thank you, Blu…" I muttered before kissing him softly, yet oh-so-passionately, emotion pouring from my heart…

I gave one last gaze into Blu eyes, his aroma intoxicating me, as my mentality registered the force of slumber about to take over my body. I closed my eyes and laid my head on the ground, the taste of him lingering on my beak as I heard him humming 'Next to You' softly and gently as a lullaby, as he repeatedly pet my chest area, calming any remnant nerves in my mind and body…

I could hear his words, "I'll always be right next to you, Jewel," when the song ended, the close for the night as I succumbed to the slumber that overtook me.

I knew he would mean it.

* * *

><p><em>Lyrics are owned by Chris Brown and [rather unfortunately] Justin Bieber. *shudders* Yeah I know by placing these lyrics it would put me in suspicion of being either gay or transsexual, but I love that song… : Say what you may, I'll always remain a straight guy, and I WILL sing this to my girlfriend... if I ever… have one. Right. T_T_

_Sorry for all the cheesiness in this, but I tried my best to fluff it up. Yeah. At least you know where the title came from. :D On second thought I might've lost half of my fans already [I assure you this is the ONLY good song from Bieber, period]… :(_

_AND PLEASE **REVIEW**. You have no idea how much block I've been suffering over the week. :O Just press that button below:_

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	9. Voce tem que admitir

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Hey everybody. Nothing much this time; just some plot cement I have to fill. I tried to make it a bit more LENGTHY but I guess I failed… completely. Oh well._

**CJFANG: Yay, thanks. :) And I will continue updating, don't fret. I know JB's decent, but it's just that he doesn't REALLY deserve all the attention he's getting… for a 17-year-old. :| And for the Jewel issue I think she's as sophisticated as she can get. As for the words, it's my style of writing, and I hope to write as… good-quality-like stuff as I can. That's how I roll. But thank you anyways. :P**

**Storylover Alpha 01: Loud and clear, captain. LOL. Thanks; I think so too, but TRUST ME I really don't like his music [99% of them]. Haha. :D**

**Elyahu: I promise I won't, cross my heart. Thank you very much, and you're welcome. ;) **

**Zacarais: I have stuff in mind for Lisa, trust me, more than you think. And… no Ronaldo ain't bipolar. -_- He's just really concerned for Jewel. Yeah. You know, the title isn't really inspired by the song. I heard of it, like, a few weeks ago and thought 'CHRIS BROWN STOLE MY TITLE!' Then I thought, 'Ah heck, I'll just steal his lyrics, then.' ROFL. xD**

**the nerd115: I don't think that was really my intention… X_X Sigh…**

**JACarter: Thanks! Here's the next chapter, then. xP**

_So lemme start penning, then…_

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><p>When I woke up, I did not find Blu next to me.<p>

The moment I opened my eyes and was not greeted by a body of warm, cerulean feathers I thought he was standing up, just waiting for me to awaken from my slumber. But that wasn't the case either- there was only one bird in this hollow; me.

Soon afterwards I had realised this action would be exaggerated, but the panic and anxiety that boiled in me had caused me to shout frenetically:

"BLUUUUU!"

No answer. The panic in me flared more violently, and I begun to hyperventilate. His absence was almost equivalent to taking my soul with him, even for that brief moment, and it made me anxious… and suddenly ridiculous notions of possibilities filled my head- where was he? What could've happened to him?

Did Ronaldo have anything to do with this?

My whole body begun to tremble, and the hot moisture begun to well up in my eyes as well, about to flow over… Where was my Blu? The one who would promise to be right next to me forever and never leave me? I turned away from the entrance into the hollow, continuing to contemplate the various possibilities… even though there was nothing I could do about it. I was only a cripple… I wouldn't be able to search for him…

"Jewel!"

The familiar call of my mate resonated through the artificial forest, and it felt like a jab of hope was injected into me. Shooting up, I peered over the hollow's entrance to affirm my mate's return from outside the forest- a tsunami of relief washed over me as I saw Blu drag over a plate of polka-dotted disks of dough into the forest with his beak, his feet shuffling backwards over to the tree that we resided in. I smiled.

"Blu! Oh thank the stars…" I muttered, heaving a sigh of relief.

He stopped at the base of the trunk, a grin stretched across his face as he cocked his head up to lock eyes with mine. From his expression he knew what my reaction was when I had discovered of his temporal absence. "Did you think I had abandoned you or something?"

I rolled my eyes. "What do you even mean? Of course I-" Suddenly I had realised to late that I had been clinging on the edge for too long, leaning my body weight forward in the process and was about to plunge from 10 metres in the air… "Whoa! Whoa!" I yelled as I tried to maintain my balance, flapping my wings in the process but to no avail- I could feel myself tipping forward and towards the ground below…

Blu instantaneously realised this as well, and he backed himself away slightly, abandoning the plate, and held his wings out wide, preparing himself to catch me. "Hold on Jewel! I gotcha!" He exclaimed.

"Ahhh!" I screamed, as my talons lost full grip on the edge and I felt the wind howl in my ears as I fell face-first into the ground from a fatal height…

Then, a body of soft feathers cushioned my impact of fall, which was so forceful that it caused my mate, his wings still wrapped around me, to somersault on the ground like a tumbling wheel, until both our bodies smashed into a tree.

"Ouch…" Blu mumbled, sucking in air through grit beak in pain. I could empathise with him- my body felt pretty sore and I clamped my eyes shut… but eventually the pain wore away, and I could feel a very familiar warmth beneath me… though I couldn't put my talon it for that moment...

…until I opened my eyes, which locked with Blu's. It was then that I realised… my entire body lay on top of his, literally [again]. I froze, and didn't move an inch save to stare into Blu's soft, tan-brown eyes. He did the same thing as I, just staring, bewildered, in the eyes of the mate... our beaks only centimetres apart…

"So, um…" I muttered, immensely embarrassed of the position we were in, and I could feel the heat rush into my face as I got off of him "Thank you for saving me…"

"Oh." He muttered, an awkward silence between us lingering for a rather awkward duration of time… before he smiled lovingly and cupped my face with his wing. "It's ok… I'm your mate after all. I _should_ saving you when you fall."

I reciprocated his smile. "Of course," I answered before he pressed his beak against mine softly and briefly.

Then, suddenly the aroma of the fresh dough and the familiar blueberry invaded my olfactory senses, and as I sniffed deeply, my smile stretched further across my face. "Mmmm…" I mumbled incoherently, absorbed by the delicious aroma of the pancakes…

And then, in a most untimely fashion, my stomach growled in desire. Hot shame flooded me- it was unsophisticated, almost Neanderthal-like, in fact, and I pulled away from Blu. "I'm sorry," I muttered, instinctively clutching my stomach.

Blu didn't look like he was affected to any extent at all. "Looks like you're hungry."

"Oh no, Blu, no. I'm so full that I could throw up, since I haven't eaten anything last night, so I guess I won't be eating those scrumptious pancakes you brought in for me to eat. Guess I'll be breaking your heart then," I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm at Blu's ability to state superbly obvious.

He chuckled lightly, appreciative at my sense of humour and this time able to decipher my sarcasm. He recycled it back at me: "No, no not at all, I didn't bring them to eat; I brought them to throw like Frisbees across the room for you to catch like some deranged canine."

We both simultaneously burst into hearty laughter at this statement for a while, as my mind begun to wrap around each individual word he spoke, until some part of my mind nudged me, prompting me to ask: "What's a Frisbee?" with a rather befuddled expression.

Blu was still attempting to break out of his laughing fit. "I'll tell you another day," he said, adding a chuckle at the end.

Before I could tuck into the delicacy situated a foot away from me, I picked up the flutter of two pairs of wings, getting gradually louder until the sounds' executers perched themselves right next to us.

"_Ronaldo, Lisa, bom dia_." I greeted. {Bom dia = Good morning}

"_Bom dia, Jóia_." Lisa greeted back at me, her smile weary having been awoken from her slumber I conjectured, but she turned to Blu and her expression brightened. "_Bom dia, Blu_."

"Um… _bumbia, _Lisa." Blu answered rather uneasily, not understanding Portuguese, obviously. I smiled gently before informing him of his mistake. "Oh," he muttered lamely.

I giggled. "I think one day I should teach you how to speak Portuguese. That way you'll be able to converse with many of the Brazilian natives here."

He exhaled sharply in approval. "Yeah."

Suddenly the lovely aroma of fresh [or not-so-fresh now it had been out for quite a while] was picked up by Ronado. His expression melted into pure ecstasy, and a wide grin unknowingly spread across his face. "What is that delectable smell that is entering my nostrils at this moment?…"

Lisa squinted. She then took a deep breath in, and to my utter horror she choked and coughed rather loudly and exaggeratedly, as if the aromatic smell was pungent to her. I took a glimpse at Blu- he was horrified, to say the least, at Lisa's reaction to the smell, even if it was foreign to her…

"What is that _stench_?" Lisa groaned as she stuck her wing into her face to obstruct the smell.

Ronaldo frowned, yet he had a hint of concern in his expression as he locked eyes with Lisa. "_O que há de errado Lisa? O cheiro não é tão ruim_ ..." His deep voice was gentle. {O que há de errado Lisa? O cheiro não é tão ruim ... = What's wrong Lisa? The smell isn't so bad…}

Lisa scowled. "_Então, obviamente, o seu sentido de cheiro é quebrado, Ronaldo_," she retorted. {Então, obviamente, o seu sentido de cheiro é quebrado, Ronaldo. = Then obviously your sense of smelling is broken, Ronaldo.}

Ronaldo rolled his eyes, and a smile emerged. "_Não seja tolo, Lisa. O cheiro é não é tão ruim_." Then he whiffed a smell of the 'delectable' aroma of the blueberry pancakes, and sighed with contentment. {Não seja tolo, Lisa. O cheiro é não é tão ruim. = Don't be silly, Lisa. The smell isn't so bad.}

He turned to me, eager to know its origin, judging by his wide smile. "_De onde você tirou isso, __Jóia_?" {De onde você tirou isso, Jóia = Where did you get this, Jewel?}

"M-m-m…" I stuttered. Immediately as he turned to me I could realise that the distance between us [and _especially_ his beak] was closing in… I backed away slightly. "_Meu erva-mate, Blu_."

Though no one else noticed this, his smile drooped by a nanometre. "Oh," he muttered.

Blu smiled cheerfully, fully ignorant of the awkward fashion of which the Portuguese birds conversed in. "My owner, Linda, made them. Frankly the stuff she makes is mouth-wateringly delicious."

Ronaldo forced himself to look at Blu. "Sounds wonderful," he said, rather obligatorily.

Suddenly, again inopportunely, my stomach growled, causing everyone to fall into a rather awkward silence, as I felt three pairs of eyes dig into me… until, by some divine power that had been enacted upon the four of us, we all burst into laughter in unison, with Lisa having rolled onto her back as her legs given out to the humour of the situation…

"Oh, Jewel… -haha-…" Lisa attempted to speak. "_Que era tal falhar um épico, você tem que admitir _…" She could only managed as much before bursting into an aftershock of laughter. {Que era tal falhar um épico, você tem que admitir = That was such an epic fail, you have to admit}

Ronaldo grinned. "_Não se ofenda, Jewel, mas você tem que admitir que isso era muito engraçado_ ..." {Não se ofenda, Jewel, mas você tem que admitir que isso era muito engraçado ... = No offense, Jewel, but you have to admit that was pretty funny ...}

I rolled my eyes at the both of them, having been picked on for what my digestive system chose to execute... for an '_épico da falha_'.

Only Blu showed some decent concern for me: "Don't worry about it, Jewel," he reassured. "Just go on and eat."

I smiled sweetly. "_Obrigado, Blu._" I thanked, before pulling him into a short kiss.

The aroma of blueberry begun to overwhelm me, and I broke off into a run to feast upon the delicacy that my mate had brought in front of me, drool storing in my mouth and threatening to slither out.

As I gobbled the disks one by one [surprisingly though, I was a-third way through in ten seconds] I heard Ronaldo tell Blu: "Do you think your owner could make more of these?"

"Sure. I'll be right back, then." I heard my mate say, before the fluttering of wings and the shingle of metal.

I had finished two-thirds of the pancake, not halting for a break, when Ronaldo and Lisa, the latter staying as close as she could to the former, came up. "_Estes parecem deliciosas_…" Ronaldo commented, as his eyes lay on the pancakes, the lower part of his beak trembling at the abstinence of eating them. {Estes parecem deliciosas = These look delicious}

Lisa made a face. "_Delicioso? Mais como uma estômago bomba do que qualquer coisa ... Americana alimentos fede_." {Delicioso? Mais como uma estômago bomba do que qualquer coisa… Americana alimentos fede. = Delicious? More like a stomach bomb than anything… American food stinks}

Ronaldo rolled his eyes. "_Não seja pessimista, Lisa. Você ainda nem provei ainda_." Then he turned to the plate with a glint in his eyes, as I finished the last of the first pancake, about to lay his talons on the dough disk… until he carefully examined it. There was only one left… it was definitely for Blu. Having realised this via a warning glare from me, he let his talon drop, airborne. {Não seja pessimista, Lisa. Você ainda nem provei ainda. = Do not be pessimistic, Lisa. You have not even tried it yet.}

When Blu had returned with a second plate, Ronaldo eagerly savoured the best of _Americana_ cuisine, and having found it rather splendid and been satisfied, he begun a chain of complimenting its uniqueness, and that he didn't know that baked dough would complement blueberries so well… while Lisa chose to abstain, despite constant urges of my half-brother, and judging from her incapability to succumb to hunger, I could guess how well the fragrant aroma had stung her olfactory senses…

"You know," Blu started after finishing the remaining pieces of dough on the plate. "I was thinking- we should see Rafael again."

My eyes widened as I reminisced the day before yesterday. "OH NO YOU DON'T. Remember that horrible nightmare in the form of 18 hatchlings mauling us?"

We both shuddered at the thought, but Blu quickly recovered, placing this demeaning thought in the back of his mind. "Never mind that. I just want to see Rafael and the gang. They all would be so worried about us, especially when I was drunk…"

I stared at the ceiling, pondering over this and weighing the various reasons… it was true, that Rafael, Eva, Nico and Pedro were our companions and it's only obligatory that we visit them… but the way Rafael and Eva just dumped the load of their hatchlings on us, it seemed rather unfair to us. And their reward was to get Blu drunk. Sure it acted like a catalyst for him to act more… _romantically_ towards me but I was on the brink of viewing them as a nuisance…

Then again, we should affirm our existence still [Blu having not tried to murder me in a drunken rage] and besides, we _should_ be helping them do some minor favours in exchange for saving our asses over here in Rio… Also it wasn't Rafael's fault that Blu got drunk; he didn't know he wasn't alcoholically resistant. I had the inkling to visit Eva too, anyways- about something on my mind just brushing constantly on the edge of my mind…

"Sure," I said. "Let's take."

* * *

><p>When Ronaldo offered to tag along with me and Blu to pay a visit to Rafael, Blu was rather sceptical, judging by his hesitation to answer to him and his eyes wandering around as if a visual repulsion field had been activated by Ronaldo. My opinion of it was rather more optimistic compared to my mate- it would be delightful, that would seem, if Ronaldo would be introduced to our queer new-found friends back in this strange Brazilian country. Blu decided to relent- it was, as he explained, in the interest of what I thought.<p>

I could place myself in Rafael's feathers- to look outside the hollow of the tree and see FOUR Spix's Macaws coming at him, the male carrying a female, obviously his eyes would've popped out of their sockets, and the only thought that ran through his mind would've been: "Where did those _other_ birds come from?"

So it wasn't surprising, to be honest, that he stood there, frozen with shock on seeing double [2 X 2] of us… and I could tell that rummaging through a list of vocabulary to say what he thought… I could see Lisa's ruby eyes exploring the small wooden house that the Toucan called his home- the finer details of the wood carvings to the various features of Eva, who was busy at the moment trying to settle down her unofficially-declared ADHD-inflicted children.

Ronaldo, on the other hand, greeted Rafael politely with no clue as to the awkwardness that prevailed. "_Ah, você deve ser Rafael. Ronaldo do meu nome; prazer conhecê-lo."_ {Ah, você deve ser Rafael. Ronaldo do meu nome; prazer conhecê-lo = Ah, you must be Rafael. Ronaldo's my name; nice to meet you}

The corners of Lisa's mouth curved up slightly. "Meu nome é Lisa."

Rafael cleared his throat, his wing forming a cylinder around his mouth. His smile was crooked. "Olá, Ronaldo, Lisa. Um…. **Jewel**?" He gave me an expression that demanded an explanation, yet was confused as to, regarding the current situation. Blu not being the last male Spix's Macaw, another female Macaw with a broken wing… there was simply too much to explain.

I sighed, my head dropping. "These are my friends, Rafael."

"I know that, but I want to know how… how you met another of your kind!" The last bit was exclaimed in bewilderment. "It's astoundingly crazy!"

"Ronaldo and Lisa were brought in by Tulio, Rafael." Blu explained, interjecting the conversation. "Lisa had a fractured wing… so Tulio tried to treat her. Jew-… we went to meet him face-to-face. And by the way, did I ever mention that Ronaldo was Jewel's half-brother-cum-ex-lover?"

At Blu's last gallop of half-prevailing-disbelief-half-indignation, Rafael's beak dropped wide open, and his pupils shrank into his eyes whites. Eva even looked back, her expression as stupefied as her mate's. I exhaled sharply in exasperation again; this was going to take longer than usual.

"W-w-what d-did… what did you say?" Rafael said, his voice quieter than usual.

"It's all a long story!" I attempted to rectify myself. "He was but… at one point he got captured and I thought… that he was dead. And I… I…" I struggled to finish my sentence, and suddenly the urge to let the moisture threatening to burst forth flow and the urge to whimper softly, like a little hatchling, overwhelmed me… I had been in a fix, and here I was getting questioned by my friends for it…

Blu placed a wing around me. "It's okay, Jewel, there's no need to cry…"

"How can you accept this, Blu?" Eva interrupted, her duty as a mother having been temporally completed. "How can you just go with this and carry on like it was nothing? Surely this truth must have broken your heart?"

"It did, at first." Blu explained. He gazed at me, those beautiful, soft chocolate-brown that always calmed my nerves and disintegrated my sorrows. "But I realized nothing else mattered. It was just her love, that was all."

Seeing us exchange loving smiles, Rafael surrendered, though there was a clear tone of reluctance. "Alright, I won't pursue it. But could you tell us the whole story?"

And then I begun to reminisce the details of the day before, with references to… _my past_… that spanned from the box that Fernando had introduced to the stay in the artificial forest. It was tedious, to say the least, but I could see some sort of enlightenment forming in Rafael's face… though I couldn't stay the same with Eva.

"But the fact is, Ronaldo," she said, turning her attention to the concerned individual. "You're not stealing her back… I ask of you, how is that even possible? Don't you have any form of longing just to… _roubar seu de volta_?" As she said this a furious glint flashed in her eyes, signifying that the latter thought should not even cross his mind. {Roubar seu de volta = steal her back}

Ronaldo shrugged, his face twisted in half-confusion-half-fear. "I'm not that evil… Eva." –Eva rolled her eyes- "I mean I have to admit that I _would've_ tried… but they were mates. _O que eu poderia ter feito_?" {O que eu poderia ter feito? = What could I have done?}

And then, in perfect timing, both Toucans' eyes widened and their beaks became agape once again… Rafael was speechless for quite the duration of time, before he stuttered: "Y….You're mates? _Erva-mates_?"

Blu's face turned crimson, whether out of shame or rage was not up to my discretion. "W-… Well your _brilliant_ idea of giving me scotch just caused me to… _you know_. Not that it's your fault but… you know, it's like a sexual catalyst or something."

Then, to my utter surprise, Rafael grinned cheerfully. In fact, he burst into laughter, every 'ha' uttered at high decibels, for a short while as the four of us looked on, befuddled. "Ah, Blu, _meu amigo_!" Rafael exclaimed heartily, as Eva shifted to his side. "Now _that's_ my boy! You're an _erva-mate_! The _erve-mate _of the mo-… of one of the most beautiful birds in the whole of Rio! _Bem feito_, my boy! Bem feito!" {Bem feito = Well done}

Eva smiled at me as well, the upward curve gentle. "_Parabéns_, Jewel, for sealing your life with the one you love the most… _Parabéns, Blu, a partir de do fundo do meu coração_…" {Parabéns, Blu, a partir de do fundo do meu coração = Congratulations, Blu, from the bottom of my heart}

I stared at them, bewildered. "What's there to congratulate about? I mean... I love Blu. It's not something that happened by _luck_ or anything..."

"Well, _Jóia_," Ronaldo explained, the same reassuring smile on his face, the one that when I was young would calm me down after a bout of grumbling about peers' bullying… "I think I know what they're trying to mean. They congratulate you because… because it's so significant to you. It's like marriage" –me and Blu's faces both simultaneously flushed crimson- "where it's a bond and seal of love… I congratulate you too, sister, and by becoming mates with Blu… he'll take care of you, for the rest of your life."

I reciprocated his smile; I knew this, but it had only slipped my mind for that point of time… Blu was my mate. My _erva-mate_, the one that would be entitled to protect and guide me through the rest of my life… it was the greatest blessing I could ever receive. Of course people would offer me congratulations…

Blu, my one and only mate, gave me a smile, one that captured my heart and scrapped all of the concerns and doubts from it. As he leaned forward to press his beak softly on mine, I could feel my heart fly… to take to the sky with my love. The way he held me and the way he treated me… it assured me that I would be loved, taken care of, that I would be treated like a diamond… that was love. This was something to celebrate, obviously. And with all the support from all my friends… it was almost perfect, almost complete.

Almost.

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><p><em>Nope, it's not another cliffhanger. Just something to think though- what would complete Jewel's life? Think about it. That's something that Blu probably would get later... and provide.<em>

_School sucks, guys, but I'll try to feed you guys with more stuff. Sorry about that, but trust me, I'm always alive..._

_...but, um, you might want to review it, though. Always helps. ;D_

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	10. Free Yourself

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Yes, everybody, I know this was my slowest update since Chapter 3. I'm sorry, but I've been real busy, with projects and all that crap. Plus it's not very easy trying to overcome writer's block… but I decided to make it up with a 5K+ chapter. And it's the tenth chapter people! Yay! We're about a quarter way there! :O _

**Birdguy432: Thank you very much. :) Platinum is nice, ain't it? Haha. So here's chapter ten… wheeee**

**CJFANG: Haha, it was pretty cute, when I looked back at it. :D Nah, it's fine, it was constructive criticism, thank you. And about Ronaldo, I think he's a decent character. I mean, of course you hate him because he could steal back Jewel, but he's a nice person. Lisa too. I'm trying to make everybody nice at the moment… :/**

**Elyahu: Hmm… yeah. I know. Was just filling up a plot hole. Don't worry it'll get better… hopefully. **

**Zacarais: Yeah, ikr! PANCAKES… and she finds them repulsive. Anyways, I meant it to be an overreaction, because from that previous assurance of being 'Next to [her]' he was gone… obviously it would've sparked panic. And it's just instincts anyway. Um… yeah. I think I DID make it severely obvious, but meh. :P But um… not quite yet. Later, maybe. Anyways thank you oh-so-very much. xP**

**Storylover Alpha 01: Uh-huh. Yeah, I know. But you're probably right. Yeah you **_**are**_** right. Gah. Anyways I'm keeping the suspense element in handy… who knows maybe Nigel could DO SOMETHING… :O And thanks for everything, man. X)**

_So let's start this incredibly long chapter ['bout as long as Chapter 5…]_

_P.S. ~27/07~ Hey guys, this might be really sudden, but then again I just realised I forgot! I have to credit KhallieGurl! She allowed me to use some material [by that I mean, borrowing 1%] from 'Ambitions'... because I was almost copying her on that scene so... yeah. Sorry Khallie! AARRGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. _

* * *

><p>I would've expected Nico's and Pedro's reaction to be rather passive, since they had no previous romantic experience [or, at least I presume so] and would not have empathised with the significance of the title of the mate… but I was a little startled when they were as enthusiastic as Rafael and Eva was, for partial reasons similar to the Toucans. However for the most part they were thrilled by the fact that Blu had finally '<em>did her<em>' [I did not tolerate something so derogatory; I had mood swung into that temporarily for a while that frightened them] and by the prospect of that one of their _amigos_ had become a mate… it definitely hold some significance, at least, to them.

Their initial reception to Ronaldo and Lisa were quite friendly and warm, even holding out their wings to slap the other party's. It was a proper way of inviting a guest, at least, and it was only proper Brazilian courtesy. But when I informed them off my past link with Ronaldo they started to attack [yes, to literally set upon him in a forceful and violent way] in unison, a pre-emptive strike that threw Ronaldo off-balance, but he made no attempt to retaliate [I had seen him fight off 10 birds his size at once, so it wasn't like he was overpowered or anything] in fear of giving Nico and Pedro the wrong impression. Blu and Ronaldo then attempted to explain everything, which took quite an expense of time, but eventually everybody was on mutual terms with each other, the eight of us.

Once again [and I have no idea how much energy or free time these two birds actually possess] Nico and Pedro were having a samba, and this time, it seemed more apt- the more the merrier, after all. Besides Lisa was from Portugal and never knew the rich Brazilian culture harboured here, and she was curious to try. But once again, Blu had adamantly refused, reminding the crowd the extent of which he detested the samba [which is really a bunch of rubbish, since when he was sambaing with _me_ he had no problem whatsoever…]

The fact is, when he had said that particular statement, it was almost like going into a _Twilight_ convention and proclaiming his dislike of the book, and obviously it sparked some infuriated glares, especially from Ronaldo. I sighed, and anticipated the heated verbal debate of it to erupt.

Although this was not the case, since their tolerance level was surprisingly flexible. With one deep inhalation, Pedro went up to Blu.

"Lemme poke somethin' outta ya, Blu," Pedro started. "Why do you so… _passionately_ hate the samba anyway?"

Blu squinted. "I never said that."

"Answer _le questiano_, mon." {That's fake Portuguese, by the way.}

He rolled his eyes. "What can I say?" His voice was rather adamant. "We all have different tastes in music. What would you say if I told you that I had taste for classical music? You would probably protest."

"But it's our _culture_, Blu," Ronaldo intercepted. "It's a way of living, not just a genre of music."

"Yeah! Like he said," Pedro backed. Ronaldo was right, though- that samba… it was about letting your heart do what it most desired to. To unloosen all those tightened nerves in you and freestyle according to _how _you wanted it to be.

Obviously my mate did not understand this. "What do you mean."

Nico squinted as well, twisting the bottle cap on his head as if to adjust it to a comfortable position and about to launch into a lecture. "Tell me, Blu. What does samba make you _feel_ like doing?"

Blu's expression twisted in confusion. "What? What kind of a stu-"

"Up-up-up!" Nico interrupted, lifting his wing to add dramatic effect. "Answer_ le questiano_." Then, he reached for a small cup of water [that apparently had been sitting on the table all the while] and sipped it.

There was a slight pause, before Blu decided on the answer: "Nothing."

Rather abruptly Nico jerked the cup away as a jet of water spurted from his mouth, droplets flying at [rather shockingly] Lisa. The matter-of-fact way that Blu had stated it was almost like a slap in the face, and I could see Nico and Pedro's faces cringe in agony of his words. Ronaldo's beak dropped open like a hatch while Rafael and Eva shook their heads disapprovingly; while Lisa glared at Nico for getting her sprayed with another bird's spit. Obviously the Toucans were suspicious of something, and I was too, having distinctively imprinted that image of him dancing to the addictive Brazilian drum beat back in that club… with me.

"WHOA WHOA WHOA, wait a minute there." Nico placed his wings in front of him, a pause subsequently following before he shouted: "YOU SAID WHAT NOW? Nothing? _Nada_?"

"Nada," Blu stated, and suddenly I wished that he would've screwed that Portuguese up and say something else. "Samba's just meaningless music, like most others. It's just a mix of drum beats and guitars that all sound the same and all tell you to do the same thing- dance. Which is pretty moronic if you ask m-"

But by this time, and for the second time in a reasonable span of time, Nico had burst into tears by this time, burying his face into his best friend's crimson body. I couldn't blame him, however- every word that Blu said drove a dagger into everybody's hearts… not like the other time where he stated his opinion out of pure rage and everybody could forgive him. Not this time, however- he was stating his mind and obviously it was against our interests, and he probably knew it. But the fact was that he was right. If you ever scour the lyrics of samba songs [including 'Hot Wings'] their lyrics never made any logical sense. And of course, Brazilians would use almost the same traditional music instruments rather than synthesizers to project their culture of sound.

"Hey, man, that's just crossing the line!" Pedro exclaimed, bringing forth a rather unfamiliar sense of déjà vu.

"You asked me what I thought of samba, and I gave it to you. What did you ex-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Pedro glared at him to be silent; he obliged. What he thought, if it never deemed appropriate to the situation, should be kept to himself and not unleashed for all to see. But I could understand and respect his opinion… and so dared not to interfere.

"Aiy-yaiy-yaiy," Rafael grumbled, his face crestfallen and his mate's possessing death-ray eyeballs directed at mine. "Blu… you have so much to learn! You're not even _close_ to knowing to full extent of which samba can tell you…"

Blu's scepticism never wavered. "Like?"

"Você vai ver," Rafael said, with a rather sinister wink to accompany. "Samba can make you think and do a lot of things… you just have to livre você mesmo…" { Você vai ver = You'll see; livre você mesmo = free yourself}

After deciphering the Portuguese lingo for him, Blu opened his beak to speak for a brief moment, but no word came out. By that sentence alone… it struck him, I figured. Music always made you do that, to make you lose yourself [no matter what genre it is], and you would find yourself singing and dancing to the beat or tune… that was the only thing that actually benefitted from our culture of samba. The catchy music, along with the dance-order context of the lyrics, would allow yourself to loosen all your nerves and let yourself go, to just do what you desired to do most and… _just dance_. There was no other way you could put it- you felt like moving your feet, moving your body, and just freestyle as to what you wanted to do. Music _influenced_ you, and meaning… it was completely useless in this context [though you couldn't say the same for other genres of music…]

By this time Nico had recovered from his sobbing fit, and from seeing Blu's speechlessness, he and his best friend were satisfied enough. "C'mon, Bluey-'ol-bud!" Pedro exclaimed, slapping Blu on the back with a loud thud. "Samba ain't half-bad. You gotta keep an _open mind_ ya know" –he held out his wings wide apart in amazement- "and see the true beauty of it. Trust me, _meu amigo_."

Blu sighed in exasperation, having relented to the overwhelming majority of people who hold the Brazilian culture in favour. He had to go with the flow, eventually, since he had to respect our opinions of it… "Fine," he said, and suddenly five smiles sparked up. "I'll go with it."

* * *

><p>~Blu~<p>

Everybody would've been startled to discover the hatred I nursed for the music genre of the samba. I mean, it's a lot of mambo jumbo; random drum beats with distinct guitar strumming were put together to form a melody that got everybody moving their feet and body along. It's all very illogical, and one of the main reasons I detest all forms of modern pop these days if they contained no lyrical significance. I missed the old days, with Lionel Richie, Elton John and all those good singers back then… but what do we have now? Rebecca Black; now that's a shuddering thought.

Still, I had to keep an open mind- I had only been here for less than a week, after all, and to taste Brazilian culture was only obligatory. Back then at that club that Nico and Pedro manned, I'll be honest. I never danced because of the samba music, or any of that stuff. I only tried to move my body [and for some strange reason, I lost control of myself, somehow] because… because Jewel was there. She was a Brazilian and obviously I had to oblige, but that's only a partial reason. I had willingly synchronised my body movements with Jewel's graceful dancing… because somehow a force was compelling me to. I had no clue as to what it was at that point of time, but when I wasn't with Jewel… then the will to samba dissipated.

It would be impossible for me, with no musical training whatsoever; to decipher the exact notes of the music that was playing when I lay a claw in the club. But it was definitely samba-ish, the traditional drum-beat mixed with the guitar strings. To my utter surprise, there was a huge crowd of people there; I had probably underestimated the popularity of Nico and Pedro in the bird community. But not-so-surprisingly, everybody was dancing to the groove, moving their bodies' freestyle with the music, like soulless zombies hypnotised. It was most sickening. I surveyed my surroundings- it hadn't changed at all, and honestly, the place was more of a bunch of crates stacked with some instruments lying around then a real club with synthesizers, tables tops and all that jazz.

My resistance to the music never wavered, but I could see Jewel's, as well as Ronaldo's, eyes glint, Rafael and Eva vanished into the crowd to join in, while Lisa squinted. "This is a samba club? It's not very appealing."

Ronaldo grinned at his friend. "Oh, _venha_. Lisa. You need to _livre você mesmo_."

Just then, the music faded away as Nico and Pedro appeared on stage, and immediately everybody halted whatever they were doing and cheered wildly. "_Ola meu amigos!"_ Nico shouted to the crowd, and they all wailed in response. I cringed; the noise was blaring.

"Está você pronto?" Pedro yelled, and the crowd yelled out one big, unified, 'sim' in response. Nico and Pedro grinned, and from that one look alone I anticipated what was about to occur next…

And immediately I could hear that drum beat, that stereotypically traditional drum beat that was familiar… I squinted. Apparently, I had overestimated the duo's will of creativity. But the crowd obviously _loved_ it. For the first time, they were silent.

"_Party in Ipanema, baby,_" Nico crooned, a voice that often boy-bands used to melt the hearts of their female fans. Then a louder, more distinct drum beat ensued. Along with it _everybody_ [including Ronaldo, who although didn't hear it before but still joined the crowd while Lisa looked on, slightly uneasy] clapped to it, almost in perfect harmony with it. The guitar section followed and along with it the chorus's lyrics accompanied it:

"_I wanna party, I wanna samba,  
>I wanna party, I wanna samba,<br>I wanna party, and live my life,  
>I wanna party, and flyyyyyy…"<em>

Suddenly I realised that over here in Brazil, that song might've been the equivalent of the American _Party Rock Anthem_, judging by the way everybody chanted it and the gleeful smiles on their faces. Jewel acted like no stranger either [even though it looked peculiarly embarrassing] and my common sense slapped me outside the head. If I was to act introverted or even critical [like in front of my friends, and been rewarded with glares] I would not receive the gift of forgiveness that my companions had so charitably donated. I had to go with the flow; it wouldn't be pretty if I remained pessimistic about this. _"Keep an open mind…" _Pedro's words rung in my head. And so I did- I closed my eyes and let myself go, my claw tapping along with the rhythm.

"_High imma fly, fly just like a bird [but you are a bird!]  
>Oh yea, you're right, so let me fly just like a rocket, then"<em>

To my surprise, as soon as the first verse ended with a literal boom from the drum, and an 'ok' from Pedro, everybody parted from one another, giving each other space on the floor to just dance freely and bust whatever we had inside of us. We had all split into pairs, apparently; to my relief [sparing me from any unnecessary embarrassment] when we had split my partner was my own mate, while in the distance I caught a glimpse of Ronaldo dancing away with Lisa by his side. Before I could chuckle, Jewel nudged me again [again giving me a serious sense of déjà vu] to go with the flow. Suddenly every part of me panicked- what did I do last time that actually got me close to… _tasting her beak_? What if I screwed up completely and ended up looking like a sick fool? The style of which to samba completely evaded me… anxiety pulsed through my veins.

" _Fly so high that I need to come down for oxygen [hey]  
>Cause once we start it, baby, ain't no ain't no stoppin' then [hey]"<em>

Then Jewel started to move her feet [her wings still, though, since one of them was broken] and as she moved them so smoothly and naturally in a desired rhythmic fashion she looked up to me a smile. It was definitely not the samba; it was something else. Nevertheless instantly [and mysteriously] I forgot all my fears and all my criticisms- the way she smiled just did that to me. It never failed to fill me with that warm feeling of love, and, having freed my soul from whatever burden it may have held, I decided to mimic the pattern of which my mate's claws moved. I grinned; it was a new pattern, though, like moving your claw forward and jerking it backwards. I had seen this type of dance before… but honestly I didn't care.

"_Cause I just want to live my life, and party [hey]  
>All I want is to be free, and rock my body [ok]<br>Ain't nowhere around the world that I want to live my life  
>In Rio, cause in Rio, In Rio, I realize"<em>

I couldn't fathom the next occurring events- I had lost full control of myself and my claws had begun to freestyle, shuffling here and there in every direction thinkable and moving my body along with it... I recognised it. Shuffling; LMFAO had some influence on me, I guess. But it felt like I was drunk, not in full control of my actions, but this time my mentality was in place. It was only being freed from whatever prison I had surrounded it with. I could hear Jewel's melodious laugh; the way I moved made me look like a freak, but I didn't bother. I had no care in the world whatsoever… what Nico would've finished that line would've been 'I realize that I have to let myrself go, once in a while'.

The chorus emerged again, and I had no idea what my claws were doing [my wings, like Jewel, completely stationery due to some unforeseen force], just moving crazily along to the beat and suddenly many birds were dancing like me. Shuffling, apparently, was infectious- even Rafael, Eva, Ronaldo and Lisa had begun to shuffle [Lisa having not known the song but rapture written across her face] too. I caught a glimpse of Nico grinning and Pedro trying his best to stifle hysterical laughter.

"_I wanna party, I wanna samba,  
>I wanna party, I wanna samba,<br>I wanna party, and live my life,  
>I wanna party, and flyyyyyy…"<em>

But as that last word slurred, the music went silent, as Nico and Pedro revealed [out of plain nowhere] a singular black object… I recognised it. An iPhone that was held up to a separate mike; as soon as they whipped it out, they tapped the screen, while Pedro crooned into the mike:

"_Everyday I'm shufflin'"_

Before I could jut out my beak in shock, the distinct techno-electronic beat resounded through the place and _everybody _yelled in elation, their claws suddenly imitating the shuffling techniques that LMFAO did in their video [I watched it; and honestly I couldn't get it out of my head] and suddenly they all went wild… including Jewel, who was laughing ever-so-sweetly as she attempted to outpace the agility of which my claws were moving, but to no avail. I could see Nico and Pedro's arms hung across each other's backs as their claws moved in parallel synchrony with each other, grins on both of their faces'. I could hear a shout: "That's my boy!" from a distinct Toucan. But I didn't register all of this.

"_Party rockers in the house tonight! Everybody just have a good time!  
>And we gon' make you lose your mind! Everybody just have a good time!<em>"

Everybody was chanting along to these foreign lyrics, as their claws just moved to the beat. It was almost like hypnosis.

"_Party rockers in the house tonight! Everybody just have a good time!  
>And we gon' make you lose your mind! Everybody just have a good-good-good time!"<em>

I could feel the song ending, but I continued nonetheless, just shuffling and letting my mind go… it was a sensational feeling, to be so free of everything this world lay on you and lose yourself for just a moment… it was simply spectacular. My eyes still closed, I attempted something I never thought I would try or even try and succeed- I jumped and landed on my wing, pushing myself airborne once in a while to twist my whole body like a corkscrew but my feet still moving. I could feel the slurred 'oh' from Nico and Pedro, until I anticipated the last words:

"_Everyday I'm shu-feh-feh-lin…"_

The song halted from there and I was back on my feet. When I opened my eyes I was fairly embarrassed- I had unwittingly created a radius around me that repelled everybody else sans my mate, allowing me to bust moves freely without interference. Such special attention was unnecessary; it filled me with a burning heat that seared through my body…

But when everybody cheered loudly I realised that what I had done… it was spectacular, to them. I don't know why, or how, but everybody started to cheer, clap and some even chanted my name. It was a fantastic feeling, to be supported by everybody that surrounded you- I saw Nico and Pedro roaring in laughter, Rafael and Eva grinning from side to side, and Ronaldo and Lisa didn't introvert themselves from the rest. Jewel kept her eyes on me, smiling to herself that her mate could be as wild as this… but all I could feel was the atmosphere, the dizzy ecstasy the air possessed…

I could hear myself laughing, too.

* * *

><p>I had no inkling regarding the duration of time I had squandered away in that samba club, or the number of shots [which, I learnt, was colloquialism for alcohol] I had to repeatedly decline in the past hour. The latter's main reason was that my mate [rather ironically, she became my mate through alcohol…], and I site this from her, profusely refused to 'endure the ordeal again', and has by far assisted me to turn down every single cup of alcohol offered to me, the number totalling to 27, if my mathematical skills function. Of which the lack of manners she withheld when glaring at every 'bartender' about to give a shot 'on the house' horrified me, but eventually I decided the irritating insistence that the 'bartenders' bore was enough to supersede my mate's crudeness. I would remember to kowtow and thank Jewel relentlessly when [thankfully] Nico and Pedro oh-so-politely let us off for the night.<p>

Nevertheless I was still drunk- not from alcohol but it was a queer disorientation originating from having over-sambaed. In that day alone everybody had tried a new hybrid style of samba [which eventually came to me, to my relief] and shuffling, of which latter [according to my gut feeling] was probably known to the Brazilian community before I had introduced it. And no matter how much I did not favour it, I had pop culture to thank that… but still. To open one's mind- it was refreshing to me, and I wouldn't underestimate the potent of that feeling. To liberate yourself and let go of your troubles… it was never necessarily a negative operation. It could make you do so many things, and most of them would lead to good results, that you wouldn't have dared to do when you didn't lose yourself.

Obviously my legs put its foot down and decided that I had danced enough; I had taken a pester-filled respite with Jewel. Because of the stupendous multitude of interruptions we never talked about anything for the past few hours… and honestly the silence was disturbing. But when we left to make our way back to Linda's house on foot she held my wing in hers and the distance between us never expanded to more than an inch.

"Blu, that was one _crazy_ side of you," she said with a smirk, her sapphire eyes glinting in the moonlight. Part of me jolted in surprise- if _that_ was crazy, then I should repress everything from her shouldn't I? Freeing one's self was beneficial but to totally lose control of what you did… it would be bad wouldn't it?

"_Crazy_?" I repeated, slightly hysterical. "Y-you thought I-I was c-… _crazy?_"

She laughed, a sweet melody of bells that soothed my auditory senses. "Silly you, Blu." She said, nudging me lightly but with a gentle and caring hint to her tone. "Loosen up. I never called you crazy; I thought that you…" –she was deep in thought for a moment before she gazed into my eyes again- "you were _awesome_. I never expected it out of you…"

I chuckled. "I guess," I muttered, but something was dying to come out of my chest. I had to confess something to her…

"But you know, Jewel, it wasn't the samba that got me shuffling. It was more of… more of _you._" There was a sincere glint in my eye when I said that.

She twisted her face in bewilderment. "What?"

"I mean, all that music and Nico and Pedro… they were only part of the setting. In a story there's setting and plot and characters but music wasn't the plot; it wasn't the main reason why I chose to let myself go," I explained, pouring my heart out. "What motivated me to just be myself and o with the rhythm was… it was more of _you._ Because when you're next to me, I… I just can be myself and not hold back anything. Because… because I love you, Jewel, and I didn't have to be so serious or sceptical about everything… you can make me do that." I could see her smile stretching across her face, her eyes moist and glittering... obviously what I had said moved her. But it was sincere, the way she that she influenced me just with her presence… it would make me lose all my senses, and even though I would be classified as the analytical and serious sort of bird, always looking at everything pessimistically… I would just let it go, and honestly it felt like the world was lifted from my shoulders.

She then wrapped her wings around me, laying her soft head on my shoulder. "Glad you think that way, _meu amor_," she said, and I smiled. I knew she meant 'my love'… the way she said those words, it filled me with something greater than just dizzy ecstasy, but rather it was a superior form of pleasure, an indescribable joy that filled my heart… that I could be free to love. That was what Jewel had been talking about all the way through my adventure through Rio… it was being free to fly, yet free to love, and free to take to the sky with your love…

Suddenly part of my mind nudged me, and I chuckled. "So how do you think Ronaldo and Lisa are doing back there?" I hadn't paid much attention to them- they were always in a corner, either sambaing freely or conversing with one another in foreign Portuguese. I was frankly concerned if they would end up drunk or anything, from the multitude of alcholic drinks that came and did not go. And I knew the atmosphere filled with exhilaration and jubilation would have some influence on them...

Jewel chuckled. "They'll be fine. From the way they were chatting and laughing the night away probably signals they're having a blast."

I squinted, as my mind ventured into a possibility I never considered- were Ronaldo and Lisa an item? Frankly I advocated the option because that would mean that Ronaldo wouldn't steal Jewel from me… and I realised that Ronaldo's friend for that duration of time was probably Lisa, the whole time he was supposedly locked away in Portugal. It was definitely something that was probable… the way Lisa stuck to Ronaldo absolutely _hinted_ towards some unplatonic attraction towards him; and the way Ronaldo treated her… it was almost like how I treated Jewel. Then again, so was the way he treated my mate…

Nevertheless I blurted out: "Do you think maybe Lisa likes Ronaldo?"

Jewel gave me a quizzical look, and suddenly I felt like some high-school overly gossipy girl. I would've grunted in frustration if not for the fact that my mate was there and she said: "I'm not very certain. Ronaldo doesn't seem to say anything but Lisa…"

"Lisa what?" I prompted.

"It… it's nothing." Jewel said rather hesitantly. "Lisa seems to like Ronaldo more than friends but… I'm not very sure. It's only my conjecture."

I exhaled through my nose, almost like a laugh. "Not only yours, _meu amor_."

A smile stretched across her face; obviously she was satisfied that I could finally understand a vital Portuguese lingo. However she refused to sway off topic. "You know, Blu, I'm a little wary of Lisa."

I stared at her baffled; I was being completely cautious of Ronaldo, the one that Jewel used to love and was a potential threat to our relationship, and now she was wary of Lisa? Part of me feared that we would revert to a star-crossed love spangle… it made me shudder. "Why would you be wary of Lisa?"

"I mean look at her. She's from Portugal but her Portuguese is Brazilian. She has been rather cold to me, and when she met you she _sniffed _you. The moment Tulio had touched her the other time she chomped his hand, and she turned into a nasty bird, like a transformation. Only Ronaldo has managed to make her feel comfortable- did you see the way she held on to Ronaldo? It was so tender and all… obviously she has a fling for Ronaldo but to be honest, she's pretty eccentric…" Her voice trailed off midway, leaving a thread of silence to linger between us…

But I didn't ponder over it for too long; Lisa was Lisa and Ronaldo was Ronaldo… they knew they were together… nothing could ever separate us. I looked upon my mate- her sapphire eyes glimmered in the moonlight, those beautiful eyes that captured my heart the moment my eyes set upon them. I never had any troubles whenever I was with her… two strangers were the least of my concerns. It was Jewel. From the way I smiled at her reassuringly… she relented. It required no words to communicate that all that mattered… was that I loved her, and she loved me back. There would be nothing to come between us… It was such a simple truth, but yet so easy to forget. But when I was next to her… I seemed to forget everything. Every burden every doubt… they blew away with the wind. A wind that sparkled like a diamond…

"Blu," she said, while staring into my eyes. "I want a family. A family that you and I can cherish and take care of… That would complete my life."

My smile never dropped; I wanted a family as well… to see my children and call them 'son' or 'daughter'… it would be a dream come true. And to add with that, my love, my everything, my Jewel would share these with me… life would be complete, to spend eternity with your mate and love, to raise the children we shared as to how we wanted to… life would be absolute. It wasn't much to consider anyways…

Anybody would be able to guess the rest, the future.

* * *

><p><em>Sorry, the ending for this chapter is a little abrupt and sucky and all, but I'm stuck as it is and I don't want to drag this any longer… X( Lyrics are owned by the Rio sountrack makers [go to Chapter 5 for the credits thingy, too lazy to list all of them] and LMFAO for 'Hot Wings' and 'Party Rock Anthem' respectively. <em>

_Anyways I'll be working on Love? right now. Wish me luck guys. :P_

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	11. Jigsaw Pieces

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Well… I guess I have a lot of explaining to do, in more ways than one. One of which is, as you know, the ending of Love? I know I kicked a lot of you down when you were out but you'll realise the meaning of the ending. It's about the unfairness of life. I'm sorry, still. :(_

_Secondly, I know I should have updated this a LONG LONG time ago, but I'm caught up between my school projects and writer's block. I apologise, but my studies have to take priority over this. That's my decision, so expect real slow updates. Sorry._

**Ghostofinu: Thank you. :)**

**Elyahu: I know. Music is supposed to be the language of the mind and all, but I won't digress. I know I write too much, which is why I cut it down a little. And thanks so much, I will. :D**

**jadensupremeking: How did you know it was National Day? :S Oh well. Thanks. =]**

**CJFANG: I know right. Infectious much. -_- Never mind, hopefully Lisa doesn't scheme or anything… though I don't think she's that kinda person. O_o**

**Zacarais: I'm sorry, but like I said, school is getting in the way. I just write as to whatever length I like, gah. :| I fixed that, thank you very much. And I so agree, old songs are better than new ones. And that was a pretty long filler, don't worry, though. xP**

**ARSET27: YES EUROPEANS! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! xD Anyways thankies! :)**

**Corration: OH NO A GOD. O_O Um… yeah. It's a style that I prefer, to get into the minds of different characters and such. :/ And you suspect too much. Oh well. -.- Still, thanks on that one, I'll see how I can do. :P**

**BluJewel4ever: Thank you, but the fact is, I want to thank people who review this story. It's the way I roll. :/**

**Storylover Alpha 01 – Dux Ducis: That's STILL a pain to type. Ugh. Anyways thank you- I'm pretty sure that Ronaldo's very understanding of Blu's desires to be free. If it's through dancing, so be it. :P**

_Ok, enough, enough. Ugh. X(_

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><p>~Jewel~<p>

I have to completely frank. I'd never thought I'd be here, in love [again] with the one bird who knew everything I needed, everything I was and did everything he could to make me happy… the bird whom I wanted to be next to. I mean, he was only a stranger- a complete, utter stranger who was chained to my feet and pulled me down, restricting me from flying. But now… I _wanted_ to be with him. He completed me, and without him it felt, rather ironically, like a burden on my back. Solidarity was a bane rather than a boon…

Life with Blu, needless to say, is filled with pleasure, contentment, and joy. My past with Ronaldo, though was filled with a strange happiness, sparkling champagne- an alcohol that wasn't strong enough, was also filled with that one misery of the thought of losing him forever… but I could move on. I could free myself from the grief and suffering and take to the sky… with Blu. He filled me with a type of energy to go on and prevail with life even though it was filled with heartbreak… simply because amongst the shattered glass you could step on and get cut, there was always one undamaged, pure heart you could treasure and take care of forever. And I was that heart, amongst the debris that Blu picked up, brushing off all the dirt of the past and said: 'You complete me'.

Life with Blu was complete. But there was only one thing else that I wanted so badly, like any other female in this world, the one thing to own and share with the bird you love, the one thing that would bond us together and we would treasure together and complete the rest of our lives. And this one thing would fix everything and put everything in place in the future, no matter what fate's design to be.

As cliché and predictable this may sound, this one thing was a family.

* * *

><p>The moment I woke up the past night flooded me. Such intense love-making, I suppose, would be unforgettable, where passion and emotion shown by action was etched into your mind with a permanent marker, a tattoo.<p>

I gazed at Blu- he was asleep, his eyes closed but his wings wrapped tight around me, an affirmation that he would never leave my side, that he would be my mate and only mine, that he would remain right next to me. His warmth spread over my body like a wildfire, and his breath titillated my olfactory senses. His expression was straight, but I knew that when he woke up he would pronounce for the umpteenth time his love for me. It didn't take copulation to _prove_ that, of course, but nevertheless, lying in his wings as time passed slowly… it was a pleasant feeling. A feeling of completion, I figured. Two entities completing one another, as if filling the hole that had been drilled into the other's heart, two birds spending life together right next to each other and…. never letting go.

I closed my eyes, my mind flashing back all those memories I shared with Blu. I remembered feeling so lost in that cage, that puny wire prison that contained me and walled me from the rest of the world… I felt so alone, afraid, frightful of my destiny ahead. When I saw Blu… everything changed. Everything felt brighter, as if the sun had risen, and happiness filled me. Even when Blu got hurled into cage with me, where any chance of being saved completely disappeared… all the darkness, all the fear and anxiety in me; they all vanished with the wind. And it was because of Blu's presence.

Suddenly, though, the most unexplainable thing occurred- my mind then steered in the opposite, a complete U-Turn in the other direction. I started to imagine a world without Blu… the possibility if Blu was gone from this world, or if he didn't exist. And suddenly that hole appeared again, tearing into my soul and making me incomplete, insecure and totally melancholy… It was unbearable, almost as if removing a shield that had been protecting you from a sword that speared right through your heart… it was excruciating mentally, and ripped me apart. I couldn't help it; all the joy in me suddenly darkened and was replaced by an agonising melancholy and sadness… the tears started to flow down my cheeks, and I sobbed. The sheer thought of such a possibility was terrifying.

I felt the body underneath me awaken and spring into life. "Jewel!' I heard, and I felt myself drawing closer to my mate, the familiar warmth surrounding my whole body. "Jewel, are you okay? Jewel…"

I felt Blu's wing gently brush over my face, wiping the moisture off it, as if taking the burden to hold. When my vision cleared, and that invisible force that made me whimper and sob had dissipated, or at least lightened a little, I could see Blu's face hovering above mine, inches away but his eyes overflowing with concern. He pressed on, though marked with full worry, for the state I was in. Of which honestly, I didn't know myself.

So I sniffled, trying to calm myself down and regain inner contentment and completion. "It's alright, Blu." I stated. "I… I was just thinking… what my life…" –and at this point, in all stupidity and absurdity- "would be without you." And I burst into tears again- sorrow was a force to be reckoned with, I figured, and as much as joy is powerful and eternal, sorrow could come in and break in the whole system for no good reason.

I felt myself pulled in again as twin streams of tears . "Don't worry," he said. "I won't leave you. Ever; I promise."

"I know that…" I muttered. Such a truth evaded me, to lead up to the ludicrous notion that I would one day wake up and find that Blu would not be next to me, and never would. It was a possibility, but it was so far away it could be disregarded anyways. Yet I had to pinpoint it and sob over it; it made me feel like such a sop.

I heard Blu exhale in a snort, and felt my mate's beak press on my forehead a mark of assurance. "There, there…" he said. "Silly girl."

I had no idea why, but suddenly the word 'silly' ignited a spark in me, setting off a flame of rage. I pulled away [in the more blunt sense, I shoved him away] and my tears almost immediately evaporated away, an accusing look imprinted on my face. "Silly?" I repeated incredulously. "You think I'm _stupid_ and _gullible_ and _ridiculous_? Is _that_ what you meant?"

His face twisted in confusion, and he squinted. "I didn't mean that Jewel, it was just-"

Rather idiotically, I pressed on: "It was just an insult thrown at me. I thought I knew you better, Blu. I really did."

I had no idea how much that statement had affected Blu until I saw his eyes glisten with moisture and his face- one that was a mix of immense sorrow, crashing guilt, painstaking concern and utter bewilderment- and his eyes, they stared at me as if I was a monster, someone that was completely not me. It was as if his heart had been shattered. "Jewel, I… I didn't mean to insult you I… I was only joking…" His chocolate irises were stained with salt water and pleading for forgiveness, forgiveness for something he didn't do. "Jewel, please… I… I'm sorry…"

Common sense slapped my upside the head and brought the storm of my emotions down to control, and I came to my senses. Why had I blown up and over-exaggerated something that was so superficial and trivial? It completely baffled me. Why did I let my emotions take such control over me… I knew that love made me complete, the joy that I experienced and the freedom I had when I was next to him, but the fact was, any external emotion would waver me and totally throw me off guard, controlling me and making me do the worst of stuff… it was completely absurd. The last time I let my emotions get control of me… it had serious repercussions. And I wasn't going there again.

So why was it that with Blu, these emotions could get the upper hand again?

I felt so terribly and heavily guilty that I had blown up over trivialities again. "I'm sorry, Blu," I said meekly, exhaling sharply. "I just… I didn't know what came over me. I'm so, so sorry I-"

Before I could finish my sentence, I was cut off by Blu's beak, kissing me and making me lose my senses again. But this time… I felt like I was _part_ of it, not just a victim, but part of the equation, the relationship and love I shared with my mate. The taste of him was enough to make me throw away all my doubts and concerns… no matter what happened around me, no matter what had gone wrong, no matter how sorrowful the world is, as long as I had Blu right next to me, I was complete. I _am _complete. And it took me a beak-lock with him to realise it.

When he pulled away to catch his breath, he pulled me in his wings, like a guardian angel who promised he'd never leave his mate. "You know, Jewel," he said, the touch of his body soothing my nerves, as if a bell was ringing softly in me, a heal bell that scared away the darkness that engulfed and consumed my heart. "There's this one quote from _Love Story_, a romantic comedy. And honestly it made a lot of sense to me. You know what it was? 'Love means never having to say sorry'."

He looked into my eyes, an assuring smile on his face. "I don't want to hear you say sorry. I want to hear you say that you love me, and that no matter what you and I do, no matter how much we both screw up and make mistakes, that in spite of everything we've done, you'll still love me the same way you loved me yesterday. I love you, Jewel, more than anything on Earth, and I promise I would never do anything to hurt you. I promise."

"I love you too, Blu," I answered. "I always will." My mind wrapped around what he had said- love… it made sense to me. I didn't want to hear Blu saying he was sorry too- it told me that he was offering an apology, an obligatory word that he had regret, but I wanted to hear him pronounce his love for me. I wanted him to assure me that he would never go back again and always be by my side. You could offer an apology and leave completely, but you couldn't desert the one who loved you. That was not obligatory. That was done because your heart reached out to her, that you would stay by her side forever and love her. I wasn't 'silly' enough to not know this.

He pressed his beak on mine for a second, though filled and saturated with love and passion. "I will too," he assured, and I believed him. And for that moment I was just in his wings, with nothing that could come in between us or break us apart… even as I left his wings, I would know that in my heart, in that monstrous abyss that swallowed up my heart, there he was, filling me up and completing me.

At that moment, a grumble, one that almost resembled a frog's croaking, emitted. I begun to search for the source, upset that it had ruined the moment, before I realised it was my stomach. I saw my mate chuckle lightly, in a way that I half-conjectured it was out to insult me again, though my more clam side said otherwise.

"Hunger knows no bounds, my love," he assured. "You need to eat."

I smiled back at him, as he firmly grasped me in his wings before taking flight to the kitchen, not knowing what lay ahead of us, but knowing nothing could separate us as two complete beings.

* * *

><p>One of the greatest things that I learned today was that the next day I would be able to fly for good. I was so jubilant I almost jumped off the tabletop just to see if my wing was functional, but I had to be physically handled by my mate, with some help from Ronaldo [besides, where in the world did he and Lisa come from anyway?], and I had launched into a barrage of angry words as to the restricting of freedom and what I loved to do. It took a minute for Blu to settle me down- even Ronaldo shied away- and I almost immediately regretted. On a mutual consensus, we decided to carry on the day without any intervention.<p>

I took a glimpse of Lisa's expression- it was lost, as if she were staring into space and was _very _distracted, thinking about something constantly. I could easily guess what happened the other night, and I just secretly wished that my slight giggle wouldn't be noticed by anybody else. But I probably knew that the relief had flooded her face when I saw the bunch of bird feed placed in front of us. I didn't care, though- I was so ravenous that I easily ate through the whole bowl.

And that was exactly what occurred- I had practically charged for it [my companions patiently waiting for me to finish] until I realised a few minutes later I had consumed practically the whole thing. Linda had taken a peek at that point of time, and honestly I couldn't blame the utter shock and stupefaction that streaked across her face- assuming that birds would be only able to eat, at the maximum, 20% of their body weight, then I had easily surpassed it by three times.

When Linda relayed this to Tulio [though exact content was not coherent enough for me to decipher], I saw Blu's eyes widened, Ronaldo's quizzical expression, and Lisa's indifference [save the slight anger at the fact that I had been quite the glutton]. I shot them a glare, and Blu relaxed his expression, though I could sense some uneasiness in him. Part of me couldn't blame him, but still.

When the waft of food arrived again, I forgot everything and hogged the sole bowl of bird feed again, but before I could reach a quarter of it, I found a sensation in my oesophagus, a jet of liquid rushing up to be expelled by my mouth. Gagging, I turned my face away and threw up on the counter-top. Internally I shook my fist at the food's manufacturer, but then again I had no idea what was going on.

"Jewel!" I heard my mate shriek, but barely. I started to choke and I clamped my eyes shut, vomiting almost everything I had eaten the past 10 minutes. A silent banging reverberated in my ears, pounding like a samba drum as I spilled out the contents of my stomach. It was the most horrible feeling, the aftermath was, to be hungry and your stomach incomplete again yet the aftertaste of the puke lingering in your mouth. I felt my mate's wings on my shoulders, rubbing and massaging me, but the mess in my head and the agony wouldn't go away, no matter how much I attempted to calm myself.

"Something's wrong with Jewel," I heard an unfamiliar male voice say. Tulio, probably, but I couldn't care less.

"Gee you think?" Linda's voice dripped with sarcasm, and I felt the sandpaper human touch on my body. I reacted rather hostilely, but I lacked the energy to retaliate against her. I finally understood why Lisa bit Tulio's hand the other time- when your energy is being sapped from you like a root you want to be left alone, disregarding all the people around you to help you- except for Blu. All I needed was his touch and suddenly the world didn't seem to fall apart. I had no idea why or how it worked, but I didn't care as long as I would feel better in his wings.

"She's pretty hot," I heard Linda's unemotional voice call. Blu attempted to make light of this [by commenting with a smirk, "She's right, in more ways than one,"] but rather unsuccessfully. The dizziness in my head clung like a crazed talon- if Blu wasn't rubbing my shoulders and head I would probably be yelling in agony.

"I think I'd better _check_ on her," Tulio said in an affirmative, doctor-like voice, and I felt another cold, rough hand touch me. This time I couldn't bear this any longer- I pecked the hand, which was ensued by another yelp- however at this point I wasn't very concerned about anything else.

"Jewel." Blu said, tightening his grip around me. His tone was almost like a father to his child, telling her off about her manners.

A father.

"For the love of Pete, that's the _second_ time in three days! Yeesh!" Tulio cried, and I heard the clumsy _clump clump_ of Tulio's shoes, hopping away into the distance before dissipating. Linda opened her mouth to say something- she heaved a heavy sigh, no words emerging. "What's wrong with Jewel," she stated rather inaudibly, which was unfortunately detected by my keen sense of hearing. But at that point I finally realised what was going on- the enlightenment struck me like a lightning bolt. The mood swings. The ravenous hunger. All that throwing up. It all made sense.

One time I remember when I was little [Six? Eight?] Ronaldo told me he had found something quite intriguing, and I decided to follow him. What I hadn't expected was to see a jigsaw puzzle. Back then I was totally ignorant, impatient and had no idea as to what to do, let alone how to do it.

I could probably say that I hadn't changed at all.

But still, I remember fiddling around with the pieces ["You're supposed to fix them together to get a complete puzzle," he calmly told me] and fixing two random pieces as and when it felt right. But I remember never piecing them together like I should have. Ronaldo was the one right there, instructing me how the jigsaw worked and what to do in order to attain a perfect picture. And once you realised how everything put together nicely you would know how everything fit and joined to make one complete puzzle.

When you're enlightened and you finally piece everything together, you feel refreshed and you have the confidence to move forward. Now that everything makes sense, you know your way around and you know what to do. But the thing is, life has a funny way of operating- no matter how much you anticipate something would happen or know something will arrive, when it does, you feel helpless and suddenly you don't know what to do anymore.

And that is why I pass out.

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><p><em>Yeah, cliffie. Anyways you'll see what happens next, though knowing myself I think I know where I'm going with this. Sigh…<em>

_Oh, and please follow this arrow, and click the words below:_

I

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	12. Meu Cunhado

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Bad news guys- my studies are catching up with me so… yeah, expect to see less updates from now on. Like I said, FFN might be my dream but it's not my life. Sorry everybody. _

_Anyways, on a more jubilant note, NtY… it has reached 10K hits, as of 22__nd__ August. And guess what- this is EXACTLY four months since this story was last published. Wow, guys. Thank you so much for everything; to be honest I wasn't sure where I was going with this story, but you guys have made this experience so much better. So thank all of you. X) Now to just go on with my lemon… this may take a while. ._._

**Cerulean Oboe: Haha, what's wrong with that. ._. I'm not American; Asian, I am. But still, thanks dude. :)**

**Spidermaster: I do too, that's what these Fanfics are for, my friend. Thank you, anyways, I'm going to work on those two things now. xP**

**Birdguy432: That's pretty creepy. O_O Haha, just joking, of course I shall. I always love new stories here. Thank you, I'm so honoured. :D**

**Darksabre102: Like I said, read and build up your vocabulary. Don't worry; you'll be a great author, you just have to be confident in yourself. Heh. :P**

**Storylover Alpha 01 – Dux Ducis: Yeah, I know my chapters ARE pretty potent… ugh. I've seen more romancey, but whatever. You got your wish one way or another. :O And thanks for spoiling the whole damn ending to everyone, man. X_X Jkjk, thanks a bunch!**

**: Thank you my friend [though looking at how you responded to Love? I got kinda freaked out…] and I know, that part was real hilarious to write. xD**

**Mord44: Yeah, yeah… thanks, and I know it was too small of a word, but what was I supposed to use [with Blu not really being malicious…]**

**Ghostofinu: Thank you; I will. ;)**

**WolfOnFyre: Heh. I know what it means [you perverted son of a mother XDD] And thank you. Now I shall faint with you –collapses-**

**ARSET27: Eh, why? It wasn't supposed to be foreboding or whatever… :/ Never mind. And I assure you, I'm not pulling the same stunt twice…**

**SenorIdioteque: Haha, thank you very much. :] Yeah, I'm from Singapore, but the fact is my Chinese stinks worse than stinky tofu and my English… well it isn't the best, but still. I speak it every day. XPP**

_One day I have to stop with 'em side-notes… anyways let's just get on with this [sigh]:_

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><p>~Blu~<p>

One of the most vivid memories spent in Minnesota that I would harbour for eternity was that, when Linda was 10 [and I was 2] her parents gave her a doll for Christmas, after been hounded for this particular toy for 2 whole months by young Linda. Now she claimed to a rather ignorant and clumsy Macaw [who probably hadn't changed since then] hatchling that it wasn't just _any_ old ordinary doll, it was a Sweet Cindy. It could walk, talk, poop and tell Mommy she loved her- now what kind of ten-year-old wouldn't love that? However, being the young and spoilt hatchling I was, I got jealous and suddenly every fibre of my being loathed that foot-tall plastic suck-up, up till the point where I would kill to… well, kill that inanimate object. I just couldn't see why it would deprive me of the love that had been previously directed solely at me, and I wouldn't tolerate it. I had been Linda's 'child' [in a sense] and I just wished that obstacles like Sweet Cindy would disappear from me forever.

Eventually, though, this was fulfilled- I testify that I had nothing to do with it, but details aside Linda had 'lost' her doll and for the next few hours she drowned her face in her bed sheet, bawling her eyes out. I remember feeling that, even though it technically wasn't my fault, I had virtually brought this upon her, and internally cursed myself for desiring something that would implicate the person I loved. And I lay my puny body next to her head, sharing her sorrow and mourning the loss of my enemy. But here's what I remember _most_- she turned to me after a while, her cheeks tear-stained, and she vowed that she would be a better mother to me and invest more devotion towards me than before. And from that point onwards she provided me with the best care any 'parent' would give her 'child', never neglecting me and treating me like her own. Now it would be my turn for my _own_ biological child.

Let me be the umpteenth person to say that parenting is one of the most arduous responsibilities of all uphill tasks. Even though this might not qualify as the most horrific shock of the millennium, I must confess that I as a solitary individual am unfit to be a father. Call me pessimistic or cloaca-less, but the fact is I have weighed and examined the various features that a would-be role model father and I would share- I have found a stunning lack of this, and safely concluded that I would be incapable of raising my future hatchlings. Believe me when I say that –like every other male in the world- I crave [and not in the perverse sense, mind you] for a family to share with my beloved mate, for hatchlings that would call me 'Papa' and say 'I love you', for children I could give all my devotion to and raise them the best way I could. But the fact is that such a time hasn't come yet.

Some ever-so-optimistic portion of my head then gestured over to Jewel, needless to say the most beautiful and perfect bird I had ever met. All those doubts that clouded my mind like a haunting cumulonimbus whooshed away, and I was confident that as long as my mate was next to me and there to fill in the holes my flaws had drilled in my heart, we could be good parents. This would be as certain to occur as Jewel staying by my side, in my wings and crooning how much she loved me- not a single doubt hovered over this.

Of course, the opposite of this is also true- should the raging passionate fire of our love get extinguished, there would be no plausible way for me and my hatchlings, should they remain with me, to survive.

* * *

><p>In the risk of sounding like the most humongous ignoramus on the face of the planet, I am completed befuddled of Jewel's situation. Here are some reasons for this:<p>

1. I awaken –still exhausted from [let's be frank here] intercourse- to find my mate sobbing.  
>2. She riles up at me at one harmless word, immediately thrusting my love of her into doubt.<br>3. Her appetite is astoundingly ravenous; gobbling down 1.5 bowls of bird feed- this is probably not even thinkable.  
>4. She throws up, almost instantaneously, becoming disorientated and her temperature skyrocketing.<br>5. Subsequently when Tulio attempts to help her, she bites him [on a side note I must feel rather sympathetic towards the former, having been attacked twice for doing his job].  
>6. Out of the blue, her consciousness trips and she slumps on the ground.<p>

Now I'm not the best or quickest problem-solver ever, and all this while I have been metaphorically scratching my head to decipher such a mystery. Of course though, the confusion is dominated by an anxiety- I have never been more frightened-out-of-my-wits in my entire lifetime, waiting outside the damned clinic for my mate's predicament and hopefully [though I highly doubt it] - here's the worst case-scenario: she has an extremely rare and fatal disease and her life would be on a line… such a thought sent a shiver down my spine.

For the fourth time in ten minutes, I pluck out a feather from my wing with my beak, much like how a human bites his nails. I scowled; did it look like I cared that Jewel could rage against and seriously injure me should her temper self-destruct again? I wanted to _see my mate_, to be with her when she needed someone to hold her, to comfort her, to assure her that her mate loved her, to take all the punches and insults. I wanted to be the _very first freaking person_ to know what Jewel's disease would be, and how it branched out to the above unexplainable phenomena…

My inner thoughts were interrupted by the flapping of two pairs of wings. I didn't even have to take the glance over my shoulder to see a navy-blue and cerulean Macaw behind me.

Ronaldo walked up to me, with Lisa trailing him by the tail feathers, and I almost gaped in shock. His turquoise eyes twinkled with some crazed joy, as if in a jubilant celebration. Lisa's expression was like mine- worried and bewildered with Jewel's situation.

The former, however, merely grinned at me, almost sadistically. "Blu, _meu amigo_! Congratulations! I must admit that I didn't even you and Jóia would get so far so soon, but here you are! I'm impressed and bless you, _cunhado_, sincerely!" {cunhado = brother-in-law}

I turned to him, my eyes shooting daggers at him furiously at his gleeful 'congratulations'. What kind of cruel, sick _animal_ would curse his own sister by taking joy in her illness? How could Ronaldo, who claimed to have protected and even romantically loved his sister and calls me 'amigo', spit such acidic sarcasm at me and jewel, spiting us in such a hateful fashion?

I squinted at this Macaw. "What the hell are you talking about?" I accused, his cheery smile instantaneously fading away, in its place a puzzled frown. "How dare you curse," I prevailed, "me by 'congratulating' me for experiencing such an unknown predicament of my mate falling sick and for me to be totally in the dark about it? How dare you?"

Before I could lunge at his throat, Ronaldo held his wings out, slightly raised as if in surrender. "Whoa, wait Blu. You… you don't know what's going on with Jóia? She's not really sick… she's-"

I scowled, half furious half bewildered. The fact that Jewel was sick and Ronaldo knew her situation… it seemed startling, preposterous even. Assuming that Jewel's big brother was an honest, decent chap, the current situation and Jewel being healthy… they contradicted each other almost completely. "Well," I cut off impatiently, while trying to calm myself, "obviously I don't. Since _you _know, could you please enlighten me?" The fact is, I didn't mean to direct all of my fury and anxiety against my brother-in-law, accusing him of cursing his beloved sister, but right now the confusion swirling in my head is enough to make me _kill _to make sense of the situation, why Jewel is acting so queer, throwing up when she wasn't ill [like Ronaldo claimed], eating almost glutton-like and her mood so erratic…

…

…wait a minute…

"Ronaldo," Lisa interrupted, her Portguese accent strong and curious and her tone affectionate and endearing. She tugged Ronaldo's wing with her own; the latter turned to her with concern in his eyes. "_O que está acontecendo com Jóia? Ela está agindo muito estranho ... por favor, me diga e Blu_." {O que está acontecendo com Jóia? Ela está agindo muito estranho ... por favor, me diga e Blu. = What's happening to Jewel? She's been acting very strange… please, tell me and Blu.}

Ronaldo breathed a heavy sigh, not one of exasperation but as if to build up something in him, a revelation that would supposedly send the world gasping and murmuring. "I have a feeling," he half-whispered, and his eyes staring into space. "I have a feeling that Jewel's pregnant."

With a mere 7 words the mental jigsaw gears of my mind, their edges serrated and poking at the perimeter of my head, drew together as if everything were imploding, clicking together and forming a virtual halo of enlightenment, a discovery that fitted every scattered piece of the whole puzzle together and generating the light bulb of realization inside my mentality. But around me physically, everything went blank, and I staggered back several steps before my talons found themselves rooted the ground. It was so ironic, how all these broken edges of the puzzle drew together to make sense, and that finally I know what Jewel was going through, but nevertheless I was completely petrified. Mind you, petrifaction could also mean to turn something into stone, and this completely applied to me, stunned and paralysed by the sheer fact… the sheer fact that Jewel could be pregnant.

No, she _was_ pregnant. I've had too much experience with crappy soap operas and crappy Fanfiction to know that more often than not, the three symptoms of pregnancy -cravings, mood swings, morning sickness (there, off the bat)- pointed like a gigantic arrow that flashed 'LOOK HERE YOU MORON' over to this one blatant yet invisible possibility. And that was that right now my mate carried my child.

In my whole life with Linda I had never one time saw her engage in any sexual activity, whether accidental or on purpose. She confessed to me once that she would be terribly afraid should she conceive- she had no sense of responsibility [back then she was eighteen-ish] and for her to have a child would be unthinkable, absurd even. So, she said, better safe than sorry, better abstain than engage.

People imagine that such declarations like this would cause people to scream with joy and yell in sheer ecstasy… but not for me. Now as a 15-year-old Macaw my mate had my child and I was totally unprepared- I internally slapped myself for going against such simple principles. I wasn't ready, not in the least, which is why I thrust any possible buffer time between now to the point where such a predicament arrived. Now all of these just vanished into thin air.

It wasn't until after a while that I could hear Ronaldo's muffled [though it wasn't anything to do with him] voice: "Blu! Blu, _cunhado_! You okay?"

I didn't move an inch, although I could feel myself shaken by the shoulders by Ronaldo, as if I didn't need any more shaking in the first place. I guess the title 'uncle' was never such a humongous, gargantuan responsibility as compared to 'father'.

At least I knew _why_ he had congratulated me, but if I could regain the power of speech, I would protest and say, no, I shouldn't be as excited and joyous as he was. The initial shock hadn't worn off yet, and worst of all, the future looked bleak, hopeless, and I had no clue as to how to move on without getting my children harmed. I had to let them live- it would be pretty cruel to just throw my mate's eggs over the edge [no, that's an understatement] and I would definitely have an obligation [at the very least, considering that my heart really did want a family] to raise them. The method as to how to achieve this was unknown to me, however.

"Blu!" I heard Lisa's alto voice shrill in my head. Immediately I jolted from whatever state of trance I had been trapped in, regaining my consciousness of this world [I had been physically conscious this whole time, mind you]. I looked at Ronaldo and Lisa blankly- Ronaldo eyes were like slits, but their level of worry and concern never wavering. "I'm here," I answered unthinkingly.

"Blu…" Ronaldo started, putting a wing around me. "Answer me honestly- are you ready to become a father? You should've been more happy and jubilant than totally in shock…"

I exhaled deeply- I knew that hiding or prolonging the revelation of the truth would be completely futile. "No… it's just," I sighed again; why did it take such simple actions in order to muster one for present, yet so long to prepare one for the future? "It's just that I really have no idea how to raise my children… I mean I know I'm supposed to love them and take care of them and ensure they have a healthy and happy childhood but-"

"Isn't that what a father actually is, Blu?" Ronaldo said, a smile creeping across his face. "Isn't raising your children supposed to be love and devotion and their interests before yours?"

"But, Ronaldo," I said- by this time I have tears stinging my eyes. Call me a softy but the fact is raising children… it was everything that Ronaldo said [which is frankly harder than it sounds] and more. "There are so many things that I… I don't even know what to do. I'm so afraid that I'd screw up and just let Jewel and everybody down… I'm just a clumsy, socially awkward ignoramus who can't even survive in the outside world alone…" And I didn't care; I burst into tears on the spot, burying my hands in my wings- there were so many things that could go wrong, countless even. I can't even list down all the possibilities that might happen- there was only a ray of light emerging from the clouds that signalled I possessed the capability to be a good parent. All other places were filled with traps, sinkholes, and so many, many threats that awaited some fool to come and let the whole world crash on him like a meteor…

I felt a pair of muscular wings embrace me, not in a romantic way I would give to Jewel, but one that held some emotional support rather than protection, that held that sense of encouragement with a vow never to waver it. "Don't worry," I heard Ronaldo say, in a comforting, father-like tone. "You'll be a great father to your children. You just have to believe in yourself."

"_Sim_, Blu." Lisa seconded. "You have Jewel, after all. She loves you, and she'll be next to you." I looked up at these them, these two birds that I hardly knew, but now were comforting me like as if they were my closest friends… they may have had their quirks and history, and were queer strangers in my eyes, when in fact they were decent people trying to help me when I would be down and out…

"But," I muttered, sniffling. I may have looked immature and cry-baby-like, but the fact was I _was_ extremely lost and everything looked hopeless to me. How I would overcome such a situation… I didn't have a single clue. "But what if-"

"Ah, don't worry about anything, _meu cunhado_." Ronaldo said before I could even voice out my own concerns. "You _can _protect and care for your children. I mean did you look at the way you attacked me that time? You looked like some enraged bull charging at me! Haha!" Ronaldo emitted one sharp laugh, one that was cheery and hearty, and he grinned almost impishly, yet that tint of joy was present. My vision had started to clear up, the tears drying and evaporating into the atmosphere. "I heard this one saying once, you know, that if you feared something so much that you feared that you didn't worry about it more than you already did, it meant that you're ready. Trust me, Blu. I might not be a father but…" -he looked away briefly, unsure how to place his words delicately- "I have some second-hand experience."

I stared into the deep, compassionate eyes of Jewel's big brother. Ronaldo… his immense magnanimity and patience to me was puzzling. He viewed me [or, at least, I would predict that would view me this way] as a rival, a nemesis, even, in love. He could claim Jewel's heart back from being with her for 15 whole years, whereas Jewel had known me for less than a fortnight. Mind you, the title of the mate is rather overrated, considering that 1 in 2 marriages end in divorce- it would not act as a seal to keep him away from Jewel. But he chose not to, not only respecting his sister's decision but my own interests as well.

I really did feel for him- he had literally been 'here first' and was Jewel's first lover… but now he lay down his own heart and interests, giving me his blessing and the thing that he knew would leave a wound in his heart, as if removing Cupid's fired arrow. It would be agonising, mentally tormenting even, but he chose to do it for me and Jewel. Even now when I'm literally revealing that I'm not a capable father, he is bothering to prove to me wrong and spur me on, shining a halo of light and hope into my mind. Why would he do this completely perplexed me.

"Ronaldo…" I muttered, forcing a smile on my face. "I have to thank you, for giving me and Jewel your blessing and comforting me when I needed it. I… don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything," he said, rather quietly yet with no sense of maliciousness or sarcasm. "Just… just promise me you'll take care of Jewel and your family, is that clear? Or… or I might have to chop off your cloaca and feed it to the snakes!" He laughed heartily, dismissing his last remark as a joke. My pupils shrank into my eye whites, and again I could most positively say I was petrified. Lisa even had her wings over her beak in shock [who had, by the way, been over there all this while just smiling at us.

Ronaldo's light-hearted expression then turned more firm and serious. "But seriously, you have to give me the assurance that… that you'll love Jewel, as well as your and her children. You need to do… what I want to do. Please, just promise you'll take care of 'em. If you can do this… Jewel's all yours, _meu cunhado._"

I smiled genuinely this time. I knew that this was a responsibility I had to fulfil… it was something that as a father and mate, I would need to provide, or else I would just be an irresponsible jerk of an assh0le. I couldn't afford to be one, especially with a mate I loved faithfully and children that I would devote my time and strength to. I had to prove to Ronaldo, the one who had his dreams of a future with Jewel and more suppressed by me, that I could be the one who could love and protect Jewel for the rest of my lifetime… this promise, I realise, is more than essential to keep.

"I will, Ronaldo. And thank you, I promise, I'll be a good mate to her."

"_That's_ my boy!" He exclaimed, slapping me on the back in a friendly fashion [though with more force than he probably intended] and laughing heartily again. "_Meu cunhado_, I just _know_ you'll be a good mate to her _and_ a good father to your children. I believe it, _meu cunhado_!"

I stared quizzically at him, before [by some telepathic oddity] Lisa chuckled lightly, her soprano voice almost like pixie dust, and she merely replied: "_Meu cunhado_ means 'my brother-in-law'."

The corners of my beak jerked up again cheerily. "I believe it too, _meu cunhado_." I never did manage that bit out in proper Portuguese, but Ronaldo grinned at me. And I knew at that point of time we would be great brothers-in-law, and that the possibility of a raging rivalry between me and him completely vanished, leaving behind the seedling of friendship. Now I knew why Jewel loved, whether as a brother or lovebird, Ronaldo so much- he had the capability to pull one up when he was down, to support one when he needed it, and most of all he was amicable. So why should I behold any grudges against him? I insinuated every fibre of hatred I possessed in regards to him, and replaced it with a golden and budding friendship… he was truly fit to be a brother to Jewel.

Then, very abruptly, the door swung open, and I saw Tulio stagger out, his glasses haphazard and his movements clumsy. "Oh, that Jewel…" he muttered under his breath. I glared at this, even if the context was not explicitly said, and I could feel Ronaldo's wing tap on my back again.

His eyes were then fixed on us, and he flashed an uneasy frown. He knew what I was thinking- it was visible in his expression anyways. "Well, um… I've got news for you Blu," he started. And I braced for the words that would determine me and Jewel's future, the words that would send me yelling in the wind with ecstasy and dancing with joy that we had a family to love and care for, the words that were so laughably predictable… that anyone would guess what would happen next…

"Jewel has the stomach flu, nothing more to it… she's not pregnant."

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><p><em>-dramatic music is playing right now-<em>

_Anyways I won't talk too much here, except hope you liked that little bonding between Blu and Ronaldo. Had to brighten the mood SOMEHOW. Heh. _

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…_oh, and if you have 5 minutes or so, go ahead and review. Love 'em. X3_

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	13. Make You Happy

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Ok... ok I know I have a SERIOUS lot of explanation to do. Paradise turned out to be not as good as I expected, and this chapter came out as slow as hell (not to mention my computer had crashed some time ago so...), but my exams had been over and done with and my update is really, really, REALLY late. X( I feel so sorry everyone; I hope you can forgive me..._

_Anyway, this whole chapter is going to feel very fragmented, just to warn you. I wrote some of this months ago, some weeks ago, but there were many breaks in between and all. X( I'm just so sorry... I really am. Gah._

**To all my faithful reviewers: I'm once again very sorry for the late update. I know you all have been very patient and all, so I appreciate that a lot. I'm sorry about that last bit; it was supposed to come off more dramatic than comedic. And so my inspiration for the first bit vanished quite a fair bit. :/ Never mind; I hope you all enjoy this. :) Really, I tried. xS**

_Anyway, let's just roll with it. I'm sorry, once again, for all that trouble you guys had to go through to get this chapter! xS_

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><p>~Blu~<p>

I remember watching this one Asian drama [of which their quality is almost like soap operas, for the record- horrendous] and this one girl whose menses was late. Fearing the worst she bought as many pregnancy thermometers as she could –since science always knocks our heads to reminds us of trial and error, the flaws found in human and the environment- and after mustering whatever little strength she could, she tested herself. Surprise, surprise- she was pregnant. Even after ravaging through her $100 worth of thermometers, she found the same result. Positive, positive, positive, over and over. She refused to believe it, but it was true- science could prove it. Logical facts have that kind of thing to strike you and snap you out of your fantasies.

Most of the rest is predictable- she had to convey this to her boyfriend [and frankly, I wouldn't want to copulate with either of them, regardless of whatever gender I would be] and he wanted her to abort it. Of course, as a future mother she wished to keep the baby and had dreams- dreams to share a family with her boyfriend and watch her child grow as the years flew by- and she refused such a request. Long story short, they broke up, the girl now treated the child like a bad memento of their love, and she had it aborted. And from that point onwards I never looked at my Chinese takeout meals the same way ever again.

I must admit, though, no matter how melodramatic the Asian shows may be, they are almost too accurate in depicting life and the way pregnancy works, always turning the tables against you to render you helpless to what life gives you. Not to mention the fleshy dust of your heart's shattered remnants scattered over the floor, and of course the significance of life in life's eyes but the disregard of it in others.

When you meet a person like Jewel and your life is settled, your love for her an self-inconsumable fire, you often dream of a family to share with her and children to raise and hear them call you 'Papa' and 'Mama'. When you're 16 and unmarried this might not be the case, but after just one time of giving in to temptation and releasing your hormonal emotions, more often than not girls that age become pregnant, sending your world plunging into absolute depression. When you're 16 and the mate of another bird, these dreams and desires harbour in your heart, and as much as you wish for them to come true and fulfil your life, this very last step is galaxies apart. That's how life operates- if something is a man's poison it is handed over like a freebie, and if something is a man's meat it is miles away to the point where it is almost inaccessible.

Let us solve this problem through philosophical means, shall we? Jewel would be ecstatic should she be pregnant with mine and her child, the final jigsaw piece of her life fixed into position with the love of her life. However, Jewel is not pregnant. Thus she would not be happy.

The moment I learnt of this, the grief was overwhelming. I was rendered speechless [after all, how could you punch at an intangible force of life if indignation dominated over you?] and I was completely helpless- what would you do if you prepared for something so exhilarating only for some twist of fate to completely thwart everything you had laid down and completely bulldoze all of your hopes and dreams down in a flash? But I could overcome this eventually. 'Eventually' had meant almost a whole geologic age in my mentality, but logic, more often than not, triumphs motion. After all, this wasn't very serious. This did not mean anything- we had only copulated twice, after all- and obviously Jewel could get pregnant another time. This was practicality at its work.

In Jewel, however, emotion would have overcome this, drowning her in sorrow without logic to triumph over this.

I could picture Jewel's face right now- if I experienced such crushing sorrow for having overcome whatever phobia I possessed regarding family, what about Jewel? She must have been traumatised, the world shaken beneath her feet… life had a way that mislead you into the mere thought that your fantasies would come into reality and revealing itself to be a mere hallucination and a mirage of the mind at the eleventh hour. Should you refer to this in a metaphorical sense, it was equivalent to having the love of your life finally be romantically engaged with you, with your and her life paved out before the both of you before she woke up one day and told you she didn't love you anymore. It ripped your soul into shreds- no mate ever wished to see his loved one torn apart like paper, but it was a mental image that haunted me.

The moment I was allowed to be with my mate, I feared what her reaction would be- would she attack me mercilessly, hurling every ounce of blame on my already weary shoulders? Would she burst into tears and sob into my chest, releasing the floodgates of sorrow onto me? Would she prance around in joy of the false alarm of pregnancy and abruptly changing her stance on this matter? Life, after all, is unpredictable- such a thing suddenly didn't seem farfetched any longer.

I saw an azure patch perched on the tabletop of the clinic, her back towards the door as she gazed outside the window. Her expression was hidden from me, as if she refused to admit me to take a gander at it, or to even look at me. The guilt sluggishly seeped into me- what have I done? Heaven can testify that I did no wrong or committed any sin…

I took to the sky momentarily before landing myself next to my love, and I peered into her expression. She wore an unemotional mask, a poker face that absolutely perplexed me. There was no distinct ecstasy or melancholy or infuriation, but rather a blank sheet that spoke nothing, unreadable. Her eyes remained fixated at the transparent screen, not a single word emerging from her beak.

"Jewel…" I muttered, attempting to trigger a response, even just a turn of the head would suffice. It killed me, the silence that lingered between us and her stillness, as if she were a lifeless statue… it was insufferable, and it was tearing my mentality apart.

Her eyes never shifted away, for some peculiar reason. I stared outside the window- the field of vision consisted of mostly a grassy patch of a front lawn, as well as a narrow street. Outside the clinic a teenage boy –about the same age but different identity as Fernando- and girl, possibly in a dating relationship, and they exchanged rather outraged faces, their mouths moving in sharp Portuguese lingo and their arms swinging madly. Such a heated argument could be stemming from just about any situation, but Jewel's conjecture was similar to mine. The Asian drama…

"How come," Jewel finally said, breaking what could have been a whole millennium of silence, the first words from emerging from a coma. "How come the odds are that if you're unmarried and desperate to not get pregnant, you will… but if you're married and want to get pregnant, you won't …"

I sighed, draping my wing over Jewel in an attempt to comfort her. "Jewel… it… it's not the end of the world…"

"Blu," Jewel said in an abruptly firm tone, her solid sapphire eyes boring into me. It would have been considered angry if her tone disguised this, accusing even, and it sent me into a shock. "Millions of people can be impregnated on their first try. And here I am, fooled by my own body and the possibility of either of us being infertile… the end may not be now, but another time."

I was frozen in position. Many people might not take this type of things too gravely- such a time can arrive anytime, and I have heard of humans whose number of offspring amount to double-digits (not to mention birds). It is not an uncommon phenomenon, and would come in time, especially if our relationship is more intimate than is necessary. Additionally the chances of us being infertile –I have not even heard such an illness to strike birds- are extremely slim. The fact is, many people might think that my mate was exaggerating by getting severely agitated about such a situation. The strangest thing was this- I didn't blame her any bit.

The fact is, however, I had to help her to overcome this hurdle. It might seem simple at first glance, but for somebody whose heart is burdened, it no longer becomes as easy as it sounds.

"Jewel," I started. I was never an eloquent bird and I was treading on a mine field now- one wrong move and it's all over. I remembered what Rafael said to me the other time- never think with your head, think with your heart. Do as your heart tells you to… not what logic commands. "I… I love you."

Her expression now turned perplexed. "What?"

"I love you. And I know you want children, and that time will come. But…" -my tongue made a quick swipe over my beak- "I want you to know that you have me. And… I want you to know that as long as you have me… I'll make you happy. I promise."

"But Blu-"

"Not a word, my love," I intercepted, using my other wing to hush her. "I will make you happy. And if giving you children is what it takes to do that, then I'll do it. Hell, I'll probably become horny just to boost the chances!" I laughed at my own ludicrousness- obviously this is something I would evade completely, but I caught the flicker of a smile on Jewel's face. And that was all I needed.

"I love you, Jewel," I said, my eyes boring deeply and lovingly in Jewel's, my wings on her shoulders. "And I swear that as long as I live I will always be right next to you. All I need is you to be happy… just having you brings joy to me. I… I hope for that to be the same for you and-"

"Blu," Jewel interrupted, her face now plastered with a smile. "I love you too. And… and I'm sorry. I wish I hadn't been so melodramatic just now… I should have thought about what I had instead of what I didn't. And I have you... I should have known, Blu."

Jewel drew me into her wings, regardless of any possible onlookers, regardless of people who might judge us regardless of whatever came our way and attempt to pull us apart. "I should have known you're all I need… because you really do make me happy. Just by being next to you."

She pulled me in to kiss me for the umpteenth time. "I'm so sorry, _meu amor… _I shouldn't have been so upset about such a trivial matter… I don't even know why I keep doing that even though I tell myself I shouldn't…"

I smiled. "Does it matter? When you love somebody you don't love her for being perfect, you love her despite the fact that she isn't. I just hope that you would love me as well and keep me in your thoughts…"

Jewel looked me in the eyes. "I promise I won't do it again."

I looked her in the eyes again. "I promise you, Jewel, I will never, ever leave you. I will always be right next to you to protect you and keep you happy."

Jewel nodded. "And that's all I'll ever need."

As I pulled her into my embrace again, the scars left behind by the tearing grief completely vanished, as if something had completed it, as if something filled its place to heal me back. That was the power of such emotions, like extreme separation anxiety- one moment, when you're alone, you're depressed and have had your heart broken, and the next, when you're with the one you love, elation is injected in you and in a flash, you're happy and contented again. Even when you feel like everything is about to end, like nothing goes your way and nobody cares anymore, you could depend on the one who could truly love you, forever and always.

Life, I realise, is like a desert, with millions of miles of silicon dioxide stretching out into the open, under the temperature of 50 or even -5 degrees Celsius, wandering aimlessly alone and with nothing else with you. You feel like you can't survive or ride it out; life is bleak, hopeless and filled to the brim with difficulties. But then the one you love is like a desert flower- beautiful amongst the plains of despair and consistent difficulty, surviving throughout the storm. And sometimes, it just gives you the energy to move on. Some part reaches out to that flower and quenches you with hope.

You could always look to her to make you happy, regardless of the consequences.

* * *

><p>~The Next Day~<p>

"Are you kidding me?"

"No, it really sounds like that. 'I' in Portuguese is '_Eu'_."

I made a face. "So when you refer to yourself you're actually expressing disgust? What kind of sadists are the Portuguese?"

Jewel chuckled, her voice sweet as honey, in contrast to my ludicrous, disbelieved tone. "It's our language, Blu. Now say it. _Eu_."

"Ewwww…" I slurred, as if I knew I was making a wrong step.

Jewel sighed, exasperated. Obviously I had been rather exaggerated; I could see it. "Close enough. Now, say _você_."

"Veh-cee…"

"That means 'you'. '_Te'_ also means that."

"Tttttttttttt…"

"Good." Her patience level was astounding. "Now say this. _Eu te amo_."

"_Eu te amo_… What does that mean?"

Jewel smiled, crimson flooding her face. "It means I love you."

I felt heat flood to my face as well. "I love you too, Jewel."

I didn't really care how awkward this would have looked at a third-person perspective; I drew her in a pressed my beak against hers. Sometimes it only took the taste or touch of your mate to drive you, fill you with adrenaline and have energy pumping in your veins… and, more often than not, remind you that your love would always be by your side.

"_Irmã! Cunhado_!" A familiar bass voice called out.

Quickly I broke away, staring at the ground while attempting to stifle a sheepish smile. Jewel acted the same way as Ronaldo glided the room, a grin plastered on his face, with Lisa trailing him. Obviously he had not espied us; a tide of relief swept over me.

"Today's the day, sister," Ronaldo said, as the two landed next to us as well.

The euphoria rekindled in Jewel and Lisa, their eyes glinting. I had expected for them to be exhilarated, anyway- it had so happened that both of their wings had healed simultaneously (Lisa's wound was more superficial than Jewel's, according to Tulio) and we were free to live in the jungle, free from human interference in our natural habitat, where all three of my companions are familiar with and find refuge in.

Of course, the same cannot be applied to me. Domestication is, after all, my comfort zone- the teak-wood feel of the floor, the smell of chocolate and blueberry in the kitchen, the white walls that shielded me from the elements- this was my fortress. This is where I would be treated when I was scratched, this is where I took my own food, this is where I had heat during winter and air conditioning during the summer- and the outside world had none of these things.

Instead, in the outside world, you had to provide for yourself. You had to know what was edible and what wasn't, where water was and a good shelter. You had to keep yourself healthy with no medical supplies or technological equipment available and you had to watch out for predators. In short- your main concern is to survive. Human advancement has gone so far as to overcome this and move on with scientific achievements- which, of course, do not exist here in the outside world, and you had to start over, survive or you're dead meat. Literally.

Let me just say that if I had pants and if I wasn't standing next to my mate, I would have wet myself.

My expression caught the inevitable attention of the other three. Ronaldo and Lisa donned perplexed faces. "_Cunhado_, are you alright?"

I looked away, clearly ashamed. "I… I, um… it's…" My vocal chords failed me once again; what would be apt to say? Would I lie that I was perfectly fine, or whine about my seemingly trivial matters? I feared Ronaldo would not be able to empathise…

Jewel smiled understandingly. "_Blu não é muito usado para o mundo exterior, isso é tudo_," she explained calmly, a mother rectifying her son's fears. "_Eu acho que ele ainda está traumatizado desde a última vez_." She said light heartedly before laughing briefly. {Blu não é muito usado para o mundo exterior, isso é tudo. Eu acho que ele ainda está traumatizado desde a última vez. = Blu's not used to the outside world, that's all. I think he's still traumatised from last time.}

Lisa nodded slightly in enlightenment, whereas Ronaldo laughed, clearly understanding the situation (and ironically, Jewel's sharp Portuguese continues to confuse me). "I see," Ronaldo answered, his cool bass tone light-hearted. "Blu, _cunhado_, you should tell us what you're afraid of."

I sighed. To admit that you were different from the rest of them, the odd one out, never seemed to be pleasant- you wanted to be accepted and find things in common with others. Obviously being domesticated_ and_ American singled me out. It had also warped my thinking as well- to be one side you had to fight against another- even if that other side had all your best friends on it; complete physical and psychological warfare. Now if I laid my opinion out bare and exposed, juxtaposing with their own, there would be a high chance that I would be exiled from them.

I could understand where Ronaldo was coming from- he had been in nature all his life and obviously would not know my perspective. But somebody once said that ignorance was bliss.

"Don't worry, Blu," Jewel said, and then the anguish in my mind vanished instantaneously.

My voice was matter-of-fact, completely generic. "The jungle is filled to the brim with all sorts of dangers… like snakes and spiders and poison and poachers…" I shuddered; I did not want to relive that. "And to be honest… I really don't think I have the skills to survive. Like where to go for water and food, how to adapt, and to be honest I'd…" I grew meek. I really felt stupid, admitting my fears and setting myself apart from all the rest. "I'd probably starve to death in ten seconds flat, maybe."

To my utter surprise, nobody seemed to be upset. Lisa remained emotionless, shied away, but Jewel and Ronaldo retained comforting expressions.

"Ah, Blu," Ronaldo assured, that same, trademark impish grin across his face. "I can teach you the ways of the jungle. It's a breeze, I assure you."

My eyes widened. "You will?" It came across as shock to me since Ronaldo, in actual fact, disliked me to some extent… would he be willing to teach me everything to keep me alive, to share the secrets that experience in the outside world had passed to them?

He nodded. "_Sim_," he merely answered. "Yes. Besides, you have _Joia_."

My head turned towards her, and immediately all the clouds of fear and doubt cleared away in the light that love donated. Just by looking at her face... it made me happy, filling me with unexplainable joy that made life seem insignificant, when the centre of your universe was in fact right next to you. Jungle survival, after all, would come naturally- if Jewel could breeze through the wild as if it were empty space, then why couldn't I? She _is_ part of my heart, after all.

"It's not what you feel up there," I recalled Rafael gesturing to my brain while telling me this with the utmost confidence and assurance that it was true, and _would_ come true. "It's what you feel in here." And he had gestured to his heart.

I figured that it would apply everywhere else in this wild, wild world.

I smiled. "Thank you so much, Ronal-"

"Ah _esta tudo bem_, _cunhado_," he interrupted. "You're the one taking care of Jewel; I can't let you _starve _to death. Who'll take care of Jewel then?"

I gulped. Funny, how he was the one saying it. "Right..."

Ronaldo chuckled lightly as Tulio and Linda entered the room. The former examined Jewel's and Lisa's wings, a final scan before sparking the exodus into the wild.

"They seem fine," Tulio remarked for the umpteenth time, as if he refused to come to terms with it. "I guess they're ready to go."

I saw the sorrow upon Linda's face, as her eyes dropped to the floor and the frown stretched across her face. If I were to be bestowed to authority to change nature I would have had all Macaws domesticated rather than letting them reside in the harsh, outside world. Of course, this is not so- Jewel and I were to start our lives as mates, and I had to breakeven with Linda, the one who had taken care of me for the last 15 years, the one who had rescued me from the blizzard back when she was 8 and the one who morphed me into the bird I was. Sans Jewel's love for me, of course.

This wasn't going to be easy.

"Linda?" Tulio addressed Linda. Her eyes flickered back into reality, gazing upon her 'big baby' as he was about to take flight, departing from the fortress of home into the wild. The ornithologist pressed, concern laced into his tone, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said, a knee-jerk reaction. "I... I just want to speak with Blu."

"Sure," Tulio said, and he swiftly scooped up Jewel, Ronaldo and Lisa before heading out the door. "Take as much time as you need."

When Linda didn't respond, he shut the door, a wall of separation, gently as if his reluctance to let go was as strong as Linda's.

She sighed, and she dragged a chair over to sit, our eyes now level with each other. Her tongue whipped across her lips, and she pursed them, attempting to find words, verbal commands thought to have dropped from the sky onto her lap. "Blu, I..."

"Linda," I squawked, almost hoarsely. The pain of loss is really unbearable to the fragile human heart- it was like taking everything away from you until you were a hollow shell of your past self.

The pain of being separated with Linda is somewhat neutralised by being Jewel's mate. It was something to fill me up, to replace what I was before to create something new, something different and adapted to the new environment outside. But I still held some sentimentality for Linda- she is, after all, almost like my mother in that sense. The separation isn't eternal for me as well- I could visit her at any point of time.

But, on the contrary, she had nothing to fill her life up. She had devoted 65.2% (15 of 23) of her life into raising me and her heart strings were connected to mine. Once they were cut, she virtually couldn't live anymore. And the day of reckoning took only, what, 10 days for it to occur? The separation would feel like a lifetime for her, especially when I could possibly be entrenched in living the wild and be too busy to visit her... I could even die.

Eternal separation is existent, I guessed.

When she found the courage to stare into me again, she wore a crooked smile, a set of armour to protect herself as tears welled up in her eyes. "Well, Blu, this is it."

That phrase always got me. More often than not my mind would drift to Michael Jackson's to-be concert until he died tragically. Can you imagine, when your favourite artist stages a comeback to wow the world, and suddenly he's gone? This is it... this is the day I have to leave to the wild, where anything could happen and nothing is impossible. This was separation from the one you've known for 15 years, obviously it was significant.

This was something nobody really wanted, but was needed.

"I..." Linda continued, trying to comfort me when in actual fact she was comforting herself. "I just want you to know that I love you and... when you love someone, you must let be able to let go. I... I'll be ok..."

By the look on her face you would think she was telling the truth- the accommodating smile said it all. But on the inside, you knew you would never be the same. But she was right- I belonged in the jungle, like it or not, and that was my home. She was merely a holding place, temporal as life goes and passes.

"I love you too, Linda. And thank you so much for everything," I said, every word dipped in my heart juices. I knew she wouldn't understand me, but I had to nevertheless. "I promise I'll visit and all, I won't forget you."

"Oh Blu..." Linda moaned painfully, and she cradled me in her arms, a final goodbye. Separation can be so melodramatic sometimes- humans are victims of their own emotions. I rested my head softly against her body, one last touch before I set off to where I truly belonged, like an attempt to absorb her sadness to another place.

"Blu." She looked into my eyes- hers held a clear acceptance of fate. "I'm sure you belong out there in the wild, and I'm sure Jewel would make you happy... she'll give you a better life. And... I accept this. But be sure to visit, okay?"

I nodded approvingly, and she held out her fist, similar to the time before we headed out for Rio. It would have seemed inappropriate, ironic even, to handshake before I was going to be separated from her, but I knew I would still be with her... in spirit, I suppose. And this was a seal- something only we know; it was a special connection, something that will never die.

"Oh, Blu... you've grown up so much. You even have a mate now." Her eyes wandered over to the door, where Jewel, the love of my life, awaited me. "I just want you to know I'll always be here if you need me... and I love you. I'll miss you..."

I crooned gently, as she nuzzled me. Humans might not be able to understand bird language, but they can still hear us and decipher our emotions, be it pained, furious or joyous. "I'll miss you too..." I said. And I was sure that she knew that as well.

There was a silence, as me and her just sat there, me in her arms. Sometimes you didn't need words to fill up the space between people- you just had to be next to them to realise how much you can't let go of them. But when you love somebody, you often have to be able to let them go too if it's for their own good. You'll always be in their heart, anyway.

Linda abruptly looked at me. "I think we shouldn't let Tulio wait on us."

I nodded, and she went to open the door, letting Tulio, Jewel, Ronaldo, Lisa and all the possibilities of the future come into our lives.

I won't ever forget their faces as we, the four birds, flew off into the sky. I couldn't stop looking back... there they were, waving as we plunged into the outside world. Linda's face... it held that reluctance to let go, but at the same time an unexplainable joy. It was one that would be etched into my mind for a long time.

But when I looked at Jewel, I knew that my life with her awaited, one that was full of possibilities and joy. I knew that she loved me and I loved her... what else could I ever need? My life from now on would be spent right next to her, going through thick and thin, fire and ice, every hurdle in life. And that's the best thing I could ever have.

Linda knows that I am grateful for everything that she had given to me. She also knows that my life with Jewel would be everything I should want and need, and more. She knows that I'm better off in the wild with a bird who loves me from the bottom of her heart.

And what she knows is the absolute truth.

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><p><em>Reviews anybody? Pretty please with a cherry on top?<em>

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	14. The Catalyst of Time

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_I'm so freaking sorry guys. I really should update more frequently... T_T I'm really sorry! Like I said, my inspiration tap for this story is merely a leak bucket. Not to mention I was overseas for a while, so I really couldn't make time for this. Hopefully I wasn't too late... then there was the lack of reviews of hits that blocked my tap even more. Just... ugh._

**To all my faithful reviewers: Thanks you guys. I have to thank olihmajor for the streak of reviews, too. :P Sorry, once again, for the stupidly long wait, and I hope this makes up for it.I really do appreciate the effort you guys put in to review this, so once again thank you all so much... I could just reach into my screen and hug you guys! :D You guys seriously just give me the extra fuel to move on...**

_Anyway, hope this chapter turns out well... I wrote part of this in the U.S., and hopefully it comes out stronger than I would think. :/ Sorry for the long wait, everybody, and hope you enjoy!_

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><p>Call it what you may, but jungle survival isn't some examination or test that one studies for to pass. They are instincts that are imprinted in your soul and body the day they were incepted. They are not learned via external media to gain, but rather these inner characteristics and abilities were activated inside of you. Blu once told me that every cell in a human is genetically similar –all of them, such that the cell in your hand and the one in your foot are exactly the same. The only difference lies in the enzymes that click into different places to be activated and utilised. In summary- what is perceived to be a significant change, like transforming a hand into a foot- actually merely involves the rewiring and utilisation of different traits.<p>

It's that simple for Blu to turn from a domesticated to a jungle bird.

It is of this reason that I base on my disbelief regarding Ronaldo's so-called 'lessons' (for the lack of better vocabulary) on survival skills directed at Blu. I had attempted to reason with him that such skills belong in the heart and not the prefrontal cortex, as Blu would put. They were part of you, like a guide that ignited naturally in one's soul, not useless knowledge nuggets the public education system fed you. Ronaldo, however, insisted to gift Blu with jungle skills, as if it was for absorption despite the fact that it already exists inside of Blu. Blu himself obliged to his _cunhado_'s plans outlined for him

Mentally I begun to rummage through what would be considered jungle survival skills, what aided the bird to survive in the wild, skills that Blu has yet to learn- or rather, come to terms with. Here was what my mind sputtered out:

Food and Water Sources, of which their locations would easily be injected into your memory or so visually obvious one wouldn't need to think to find.

Avoiding predators, of which were mostly ground-based and even then required basic awareness and speed to escape.

Navigation through the jungle, of which one would grow accustomed to the maximum span of a week. This isn't overly quintessential, either.

Every other skill would be deemed as man-controlled or too miniscule to consider.

To be honest, I simply cannot picture such basic skills, traits meant to be activated rather than absorbed, are being taught and passed on like a parcel. Jungle instincts were like the emotion of love- everybody possessed this and had the perfect capability to utilise it. They were not meant to be viewed analytically or physically, but rather spiritual.

I confronted Rafael and Eva regarding this, since their possession of jungle instincts would have resembled mine. Indeed they did, but it was of their opinion that I allow this absurd plan to be executed, since it was in the interests of both my mate _and_ my half-brother. Should I upturn this for my own selfish opinions, I would be placed under the light of being heartless, they hypothesized, and add the fact that my mate's life rested in the hands of my half-brother, I was forced to surrender and solicit my blessings.

It is of this reason that I have landed myself in this scenario, next to Blu along with Ronaldo and Rafael nose leading the whole way, my auditory senses lazily picking up sentences, facts so generic any idiot with an iota of common sense would have known this.

"The water's in the river; you'll have to get it out by some means if you want."

"Keep a watch for predators all the time- who knows when they'll strike out at you?"

I groaned inaudibly. Impatience was an emotion I wished not to impose, however, on any of my companions –especially since Blu's future depended on this- and eventually I began to retreat to Eva and Lisa's side, fading into the background that was not really needed.

Eventually an intangible barrier appeared between the males and the females, of which the latter fell behind as time lingered on and continued to function as a support line despite the lack of contributions in the first place. (What is there to support, anyway?) The boredom began to set in and the chasm began to widen until the others were out of earshot. Blu's eyes flickered from Ronaldo to me frequently, a continuous trill of anticipation, and I donned a mask of an assuring smile for him. But that was all it was- a mask.

I sighed in exasperation, this time audible enough for Eva to hear. "I don't get it," I addressed the keel-billed Toucan, the one filled with the wisdom of marriage and mates/males, my female confidante. "I know Blu needs guidance but this is practically treating him like a _hatchling_! Do we really need to relay such elementary things to him?"

I espied Eva smile patiently from the corner of my eye. "It's for his sake, dear," she calmly replied. "And if redundant survival lessons allow him to survive as well as make him happy, then your complaints can wait, no?"

"But... _I'm _not content," I admitted. "It's just... I just dislike the notion."

"Your mate is happy," she said. "Shouldn't you as well?"

"I... I'm not so sure." I shook my head vigorously, pursing the edges of my beak together as my vision clouded. My talon idly scratched the floor- what if one day something pulls away Blu from me, an alternate path to draw him into happiness, but doesn't do the same for me? It scared me. I could see Lisa's cerulean figure back away, whereas the black-and-white-and-lime-green Toucan approach me, wing around me.

"You have to be patient, Jewel. Things take time to activate- you don't expect Blu to _own_ this jungle overnight, do you? Sometimes you require something else to trigger it off... a catalyst, an alternate path to spark a chain reaction, an extra something required to activate a transition."

I stared at her quizzically. "You sound so much like Blu now."

She grinned. "You'd think that Blu's jungle instincts would just trigger off by stepping into the green, but that's not true. Ronaldo's actually doing some work in unlocking those inner traits inside of him... it's a catalyst, in that sense. And you can't work your way around it- it's needed for the 'activation'."

Something in my mind clicked at that point, and suddenly it made sense- I'd been engrossing over the starting and ending point, the ease of which one point transit to another, when I had totally forgotten what would have sparked the journey, to activate the activation of the jungle instincts. Why hadn't I thought of this earlier?

"And for Blu," Eva intercepted my thoughts. "Don't worry. I've already told you- love is like an instinct. The way it triggers off isn't automatic either- it needs a catalyst. And that is, of course, your mate. You'll need some time as well, but just by being with him... you'll feel something- activation. The feeling of contentment and joy just fills your heart... that's what your mate can do."

I turned ahead again, and my eyes locked with Blu's. They did not flicker back and forth this time, but rather they stared into me. He must have caught me on the verge of a breakdown, I figured, but on his face donned the exact same smile I had worn to comfort him. This one, however, was genuine and heart-felt, and in his eyes I could see the assurance and passion to protect and love me forever, that I would never go cold or hungry so long as I had him.

It was more of a reminder, a catalyst to snap my senses back together, rather than some fake assurance and empty promises that smash under pressure.

I turned to Eva, the same heartfelt smile that marked Blu's expression on my face as well. "Thanks Eva."

She chuckled. "Ah, Jewel, it's alright. You're young; you have a lot to learn."

I stared incredulously at her for a few seconds, before simultaneously erupting into laughter with her. I knew at that point where she would have to guide me in the tangled vines of marriage, to clear away the obstacles and let me see the light... it might take a while, but it would be the sole path leading towards the ultimate destination of making true love work.

I wouldn't mind that.

I looked ahead, where Ronaldo stood proudly beside Blu and looked at me, as if presenting a trophy to me. I wrinkled my top of my beak. "I _still_ think he treats Blu like a hatchling," I remarked childishly. "They look like father and child already."

"Who, Ronaldo?" Lisa cut in, having been distanced from the conversation for far too long. "That's just..."

"Awkward?" Eva suggested. "They're brothers-in-law; why should it be awkward?"

"I was just thinking" –a faint smile appeared on her face- "how ridiculous it would be if Ronaldo was your child's grandfather, Jewel. It'd be pretty funny too."

I looked away. "I don't even know if I'll _have_ a child, Lisa," I muttered, the matter-of-fact tone negating any possible humour with the situation, reality trumping absurdity.

"You do know bird infertility doesn't really exist, right? Or at least, it's unheard of..."

"Wait," Eva interjected. "What... what's going on?"

I sighed. I just dreaded to let the past be dragged up again, to let the things that crush my heart or stir up vengeance in my heart replay itself. The memories of stomach flu (something of which cured itself blindingly fast, no doubt) and false alarms... I was beginning to feel like my emotions were all dependent on a switch that flickered on and off, all activated just by the flick of a wing. The memories had to be relayed to Eva, who merely nodded in understanding.

"Ah," she said. "So that's why you're so down, isn't it?"

It hadn't come to me that the whole pregnancy issue had been eating away on my nerves... I had so readily assumed that it had been my initial annoyance with Ronaldo and Blu. Now that Lisa had ignited the topic of hatchlings, I started to realise that it was the... false alarm of pregnancy that had subtly activated the sorrow in me... it was incompletion, I suppose.

"Yeah," I relented. "I guess so. It's just... ~sigh~ I don't even know. I... I fear I might never be impregnated... ever. I mean, this could possibly just trigger off a continuous chain of disappointments and I... I don't really know what to think."

"Like I said, Jewel, these things take time. Activations never occur automatically, remember? I'm sure if... okay, to put it crudely, if you _try_ hard enough" –my cheeks exploded crimson; Lisa's expression was tainted with disgust- "then ... well, you'll have what you want. It just takes patience and time. That's what catalysts are all about, right? Providing that extra something for something to occur?"

"Well..." I clawed the ground idly again. Eva's words did make sense, that patience was a virtue and the sands of time would be more than enough to help me and that all I had to do was to wait before something clicked into place... but what if it never came? What if something is terribly wrong with me or Blu? What if the compatibility between us isn't perfect?

What if the love we had wasn't enough?

It wasn't until Eva spoke up, passion laced in her tone, that I realised that I had spoken that last statement out loud. "Jewel... you _must_ be patient. Time always proves to be the divine judge- you have to believe! You've already planned your life ahead of you- and honestly, you have love. And that's all you need isn't it?"

The pause allowed my voice to slit in. "Yeah but-"

"But you have Blu," Eva re-interjected. "And trust me, as long as you and your mate are together, nothing will go wrong. All it matters is that you're happy right? Your mate will give that to you, no doubt. If you're not meant to be with him, then it's not love- but you _know_ it is, right? You love him, and he loves you... that would be enough to give you a future you want. You want kids, he'll give it to you. You just have to believe... time will facilitate you in that."

And suddenly whatever disappointment that I grudgingly held, the pain that had been inflicted on me, they were washed away with the swoop of a tidal wave, activated by the thoughts of love and my future with Blu. They were filled with bliss, happiness that negated all the doubt and sorrow in me. That is but the power of your mate, to activate the joy and contentment in love, to give you strength to fight off all other external forces. All it took was just a catalyst... your mate.

And even then, I had time to figure my life out for me didn't I?

"Don't be so uptight about your future, Jewel," Eva consoled, putting her wing around me again after seeing my smile re-appear. "Just remember that Blu is with you, and time will bring you forward. Your journey of love has just begun, a spark, and you should wait and see. You two love each other a lot, I can see it. Your life is going to be fine."

I exhaled, calmly this time and slowly. "Thank you Eva."

"But," Lisa asked. "But how do you know so much of this stuff, Eva?"

Eva grinned. "Lisa, darling, I've been Rafael's mate for, what, 5 years? I have had experience."

Lisa sighed. "I wish I was as wise as you."

I used the wing not folded under Eva's to drape over Lisa's. "We all do, don't we?"

Lisa forced a smile, crooked and segmented into lines. "I guess," she said meekly.

And then, we were silent as we followed the tracks of the males, led by them in the journey of love and life, like an activated platform that moved you to safety or a new path of life. All I did was fix my eyes on Blu, and I knew that we were going the right way.

It was always just that simple.

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><p>"Mmph... oh gawd, Jewel. What... what has Eva been... teaching you?"<p>

I sighed in exasperation. "Oh come on. Just because Eva has 18 children you automatically assume that I-"

"But you've gotten better," Blu said playfully, nudging me exhaustedly.

I reciprocated his seductive smirk. "Maybe it's because practice makes perfect."

Blu exhaled sharply, while retaining his smirk still, in defeat. He rolled over his side till his face was up. While his wings cushioned his head, my tired head rested on his muscular yet feathery chest, our wings still around each other. Mating rituals were exhilarating and adrenaline-pumping - don't get me wrong - but sometimes... a girl needed affection. More often than not I found the aftermath of it, rather than act of it, being the highlight. Such a pity some amateurs collapse from the exhaustion almost immediately- sometimes one needed to revel in the aftermath of physical love, and as time lingered on and the smell of sex hovered above you, you often realise how much your mate loved you and how much you wanted him... it was always nice, anyway to cuddle in each others' wings and croon to one another.

"I love you, Blu," I found myself speak.

Blu planted a kiss on my forehead. "I love you too, _querido_." {querido = dear}

My eyes jerked upwards. "Looks like _someone_'s been taking Portuguese lessons behind my back." My tone was laced with mock accusation.

Blu stuck his tongue out before withdrawing it near-instantaneously, before his eyes dropped like a guity schoolchild's. "Rafael's been teaching me compliments like that. _Você é belo._ _Você é minha vida. Eu não posso viver sem você." _{Você é belo. Você é minha vida. Eu não posso viver sem você. = You are beautiful. You are my life. I cannot live without you."

A heat crept into my cheeks. "Oh stop it," I said meekly, nudging him. "At this rate you're going to make me cry."

He pressed his beak against mine, the lower part making small motions around mine sensually and sending more chilly ripples down my spine. "But it's true, _querido_. _Eu te amo_."

"_Eu te amo_ _também, mi amor_." I muttered, Blu's breath still fresh on my tongue, and I huddled closer to his body. For a moment it was silent, just the two of us tangled together into a beautiful, feathered mess. For a while we lay there, two lovers revelling in their own love, the moonless sky twinkling with dots of white, the smell of the grass, my mate and sex in the atmosphere. It was lovely how such characteristics of the environment was enough to signal romance...

My eyes turned to Blu once again. His eyes were not open, but they stared at the ceiling, as if deep in thought about something.

"Hey Blu," I whispered.

His pupils darted towards me, and the curves of his beak rose. "Yes, _belo_?"

"Can you sleep?"

"Well... no, not really. Which is weird considering... you know."

"I can't sleep either. I have no idea... maybe it's all that adrenaline and energy still in us?"

Blu chuckled huskily, pecking me on the beak lightly. "I guess. But... I think it might have to do with... you know. We're in the wild for the first time."

I squinted. Blu had a point- in fact, this was not actually a hand-picked knothole. This was Rafael and Eva's, or rather, their old one until Fernando built them a tree house to store the huge family of 20. It had been a rather foreign setting- to Blu, at least, to be introduced to a new setting and breaking out from his familiar domesticated setting. There were artificial knotholes back in the jungle in Tulio's aviary, but to be in a real one was different. Just a small tweak in the circumstances could create such a humongous change for him.

For me, it had been at least a week being... to be honest, suffocated in the artificial setting. To be back in the natural setting was refreshing- but this time it was different. I was not solitary anymore, not by my own to roam the jungle aimlessly. I had a mate (and what better way to show the world this, eh?) to trust and depend on, to have a shoulder to cry on and a chest to lay my head on, to protect me and always be right next to me.

It's pretty obvious which life I prefer.

I guess when your mind wrapped around a fact that changed your life, it made insomnia as a by-product.

My eyes wandered to ceiling again. Rafael and Eva's knothole was rather spacious, I figured (no prizes as to why it was so), and it seemed... overly generous that they should donate it to us, birds they barely knew about.

"_Querido,_" I said, breaking the hovering silence. "We must thank Rafael and Eva for giving us such a nice knothole... it was too much."

Blu chuckled. "I know we should," he agreed. "We should thank them for everything really. Like getting that chain off of us and all... Rafael and Eva have been pretty good to us."

I smiled. "So long as they're here, there's no way we're ever breaking up without a tussle."

"Touch wood," Blu playfully chided, embracing me tighter to let me know that he would be with me, that he would be right next to me for the rest of my life. "I'm _never_ going to let you go."

"I know," I relented. A silence ensued once again, but the insomnia refused to wear off.

Suddenly the last conversation we had with the other four re-surfaced into my mind, where we dispatched to our knotholes. Something was odd- Rafael initially planned to 'rent out' his two knotholes –his original and guest- for me and Blu, and Ronaldo and Lisa respectively. The latter had kindly interjected, however, and declined to share the same knothole with Ronaldo. She didn't even cite a reason- she only flew off to find another knothole.

Ronaldo, too, was confused.

"Hey Blu..." I spoke. "Do you feel something... wrong? Something about Ronaldo and Lisa?"

He eyed me wearily. "No, why? Did they fight or anything?"

"No, it's just... it seems weird. I mean... they won't share the same knothole. It seems as if they aren't really friends or something... like they're avoiding each other."

"It's just your imagination, love... they're not together romantically right? Do you seriously expect them to share a knothole when they're not mates? It would seem awkward, no?"

"Yeah but... did you see that way Lisa run off? It was as if she wanted to get away quick, like she really didn't like us at all. It was all very confusing."

"She's just shy, that's all. Besides" –he grinned mischievously- "it's only a matter of time until she and Ronaldo fall in love like we did."

I fought off a blush. "Maybe they would... but I don't know. Maybe they won't."

"Only time will tell," Blu muttered, kissing my forehead again. "But to be honest, I really hope they do get together. Otherwise he'd _still_ be going after my mate."

"What are you talking about?" I chided, with a lesser degree of playfulness. "Ronaldo knows I'm yours. And he knows that he would be disowning himself should he make me his again. And besides..." I pressed my beak against his once again, the sweet taste of him activating the same sensuality and exhilaration in me.

"I love you. And I will _never_ leave you."

Blu smiled. "I love you too. And I know you won't. I can't even picture my life without you... or you with Ronaldo, for that matter."

I embraced him tighter, his body linking with mine like perfect jigsaw pieces, as if we were two halves of the same whole. "That won't happen... I promise."

Blu kissed my forehead again. "_Eu te amo_."

"_Eu tea mo_," I muttered as sleepiness activated inside of me, allowing me to drift into slumber without a worry or doubt, with my everything right next to me and the smell of love hovering over us in the atmosphere. And so I waited for time to prove everything, to activate the journey of love that awaited me and Blu, the future that awaited me and the one I would call 'mate' forever.

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><p><em>You see that button below you? Well it's <em>calling for yoooouuuuu_... and it's waiting for you to press it. Now go._

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	15. Follow Your Heart

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Hey guys! Happy New Years Eve... I should think it's NYE, anyway, or almost NYE, whatever! ^^ Anyway, here's the really long-delayed chapter... but it's 5.4K, hope that accounts for SOMETHING... But well, hopefully you guys like it! I took quite a while on this... what with my deteriorating inspiration, haiz..._

_I think I'll just respond to each review, because it's not too much..._

**kylebone: Thanks for that. Yeah, it's something not many people like, but still. And well... it's like a standard greeting, anyway, but maybe I'll use it later on? Hehe... ^^ **

**No-Remorse81: Yeah I really do wish I could update more frequently... makes me feel guilty. -_- I DO have a commitment to finish this for you guys, so yeah. I'll just try to update when I can.**

**olihmajor: I know... I really don't have a synonym for that. :O I need a thesaurus... haiz... anyway thanks.**

**Rapture At Sea: 'Welcome back'? I haven't been gone a long time... or have I? X_X Ah, never mind. They haven't? Well... I have no idea about that! I think they might've deteriorated a little, but I don't know. And well... maybe, maybe not... ;P**

**Ghostofinu: Really? That's great thanks! :D I... I don't know if I'm the king/best, but I'll just take it as it is then! Thank you! xP**

_And now, here's the chapter you've all been waiting for. And if you can see below... well, things are about to get complicated... :O_

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><p>~<strong>Lisa<strong>~

Emotions are something nobody wants to come to terms with. They make you weak, vulnerable to everything around you, a blind spot for reality to stab you in the face. Pride, for instance, when you achieve something and you revel in the accomplishment... until a new problem trips you up unguarded, letting you tumble into the bottomless abyss of failure. Anger, when the passion and intensity of white-hot fury clouds your senses... and you commit an irreversible, completely idiotic mistake that haunts you for the rest of your life.

Love, where you're completely devoted to somebody and love him with all your heart... he stabs you in the back and what you initially thought about him evaporates to reveal a hollow being.

This is why I am afraid to admit anything. When you let emotions control you, you can spiral out of control, you can do things you regret instantaneously but last forever. They are the fall of man... bird-kind. And this is why I keep them guarded, closeted in a place where nobody can find it.

But even when you look at Kristen Stewart- how she has only one freaking expression throughout all four movies, one stupid poker face of no emotion- you wonder how Bella ever fell in love, how she caved into her emotions and let herself succumb to her feelings for Edward. That's because emotions, even when you repress them to the point where you fool yourself into thinking you don't have them, emotions will always prevail when they're activated. Emotions are unstoppable.

One might have excellent anger management skills, or have the humility that can put divine forces to shame, but one can never, ever stop love. Love is an attraction that will always exist, love is an emotion that will always bring you closer to that special person/bird, an emotion that can lower your guard and succumb to the devotion and care that your mate is. Love is the other half of you, calling to you and one that cannot be ignored. Love is but a tidal wave, where your only options are to resist and die miserably, or adapt and go with the flow.

Love is a disaster.

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><p>Have you ever seen shippers in a fandom world of something? It's rather intriguing as well as stupid. You have two characters –one male another female- who are merely good friends and interact with each other a lot. And suddenly the fans of this... media, these fans decide they are match for each other and ship them together. What is shipping? Shippers basically believe that a romance between these two characters work out and become a couple, in the premise that that should they embark on the journey of love they would emerge out victorious. Disregarding the premise that nobody ever does, though.<p>

Honestly, who wouldn't be distressed knowing that your admirers are pushing you against your will, that you are forced to engage in a romantic relationship with your platonic friend of the opposite gender? I always found it stupid, a complete waste of time- why pursue love when you know it will never work out? Why chase after the wind? Why fight against a tidal wave? Besides, it was creepy, to know that some other people in this world look at you and imprint something else that's not reflective of the truth... but rather wavered by their own emotions.

Of course, everybody ships _anyway_ just because of their own personal beliefs rather than what is the truth, because they refuse to believe what reality is. Why? They are swayed by their emotions, of course. And thus there are no exceptions to this rule.

Not even me and Ronaldo.

Blu and Jewel- they are a loving couple (of course, for now, that is) and they are nearly inseparable. To be honest, birds like them often fool me into thinking that true love exists, considering how much they love each other and the time they spend next to each other. But that's least to say the fact that because Ronaldo and I are their closest companions, everybody will be expecting that I and he form a couple. I've seen that glint in Blu's eyes, fooling himself into thinking that Ronaldo would be diverted from Jewel by an interest in me. I mean, it's not explicitly said, but it's implied... it should be true.

Obviously, Ronaldo and I are merely friends. A platonic level, as it is, nothing further, nothing that would break all boundaries and let hell break loose and havoc wreck itself. Friendship is uncomplicated, a mutual, positive relationship which was beneficial to both parties. And it was a relationship that bloomed when I and he were stuck in that dreaded country Portugal... a diamond in the rough.

Little did I expect that it would blossom into something more for me.

Ronaldo has always been attractive in many ways, I figured. He had this charm that drew so many females to him, this charisma that attracted me to him, the typical heroic figure that was accompanied with a sort of softness too. But there was more- he was awfully kind and nice towards me, even at an unnecessary and sacrificial level. He was always having my interests at heart and putting me before himself. I remember him always offering me the most food, offering his body warmth when it got cold, and carefully guiding me by holding my wing in his when going through the most precarious of obstacles. Besides, I found him... I will be frank, handsome. Attractive.

I figured that obviously implied _something_.

And that was all it took to draw out the emotions in me, to let the rose of love flower in my heart, a token to Ronaldo, a part of my heart now attached to him sentimentally... I fell in love with him.

I loved Ronaldo... but I didn't have the courage to tell him that.

Like I said, love is an extremely potent emotion, one that can ruin the closest of platonic friendships, one that can destroy the hearts of mortals everywhere and completely ruin their lives forever, haunting and terrorising them like a ghost. It was an irrevocable mistake waiting to occur... and thus I kept it to myself, and I closeted such feelings to myself.

It didn't help, of course, that alongside with me were Blu and Jewel, the match-made in heaven, the ones who were this close to making me believe that love isn't as apocalyptic as it is. The way they were so devoted to one another, always tending to their needs and never leaving their side for the life of them... it was so fantasy-like, as if true love was possible...

I wished I was as lucky as Jewel, to find a mate that loved her to death, to be assured that everything is alright and feel protected, to make me happy and have a shoulder to cry on... that would complete my life. Somehow I pictured myself standing next to Ronaldo like them, a perfect couple, match-made in heaven, and me being held in his wings as he crooned to me how much he loved me...

It's always somebody's dream to find that sort of love, isn't it? Well... I found love. I found love in a hopeless place of Portugal... and that I knew Ronaldo would be made for me.

It took just mere days of exposure with Jewel to activate this love to triumph over me and my efforts to repress it.

So here I am, perched on a branch, shielded by a curtain of leaves that had a direct view of Blu and Jewel's knothole. Interiorly, I felt like a stalker, a spy that was horribly deprived of a life by sneaking up on other couples... but this was different. I wasn't looking at them from a distance for the pure sake of it, but... they've had experience in this, haven't they? To find love in the form of the soul mate of your dreams? To be able to express your emotions without ruining your emotions forever?

They could help me, I figured.

But somehow doubt clouded the initial courage I had. What if it all seemed awkward? What if they knew something about Ronaldo that I didn't? What if they wouldn't help me? They were only strangers, after all, merely mutual friends of Ronaldo. Why should they be so kind to a stranger like me?

Both of their bodies were tangled into one another, as if two halves of the same whole. I could imagine how peaceful both of them were in their sleep, able to find confidence in the fact that they'll wake up tomorrow and still be loved by their mates. Somehow I could fantasize about myself like that, in Ronaldo's wings and the warmth of a lover surrounding me, perfection aiding me throughout my walk of life.

Blu stirred. Slowly his eyes began to open, of which naturally drew towards his mate. He smiled. In his eyes, I could imagine, he was gazing at the most beautiful bird that he ever saw, the one that he would love and protect forever. I wonder what it would be like, to have a mate like Blu. Would Ronaldo be like that? To be so loving to me and he would always assure that he would stay by me...

Jewel's eyes began to emerge as well. I supposed it was the shifting of Blu's body that awoke her. Blu exhaled sharply, the curves of his beak crawling upwards. "Morning, angel," he said.

_Angel_.

Jewel leaned herself forward, her beak lightly pressing against her mate's. "Morning, _meu amor_," she huskily whispered.

Blu's tongue made a rapid swipe across his beak, positioning his body over hers. "Hungry for more, are we?" He kissed her again, sensual moans erupting from their beak from the passionate beak-lock. Honestly I had no idea why birds like Ronaldo could feel so... awkward, when this happened. It was a testament of love, to show that they would always be next to each other through and through... why should it be embarrassing to the third-person-perspective?

Jewel broke away, panting for breath. She smirked. "Don't you think... it's kinda early... for that..."

"Eh," Blu said dismissively, before pecking her on the beak again.

"So, first things first. We need to eat now... which means I'll have to go and-"

"No, _querido_," Blu interrupted, his voice still sweet as honey. "Your wing just got better...we wouldn't want you to tire out now would we?"

Jewel sighed. "You underestimate me Blu. I can still soar as the eagles go. I won't tire out that eas-"

"I know... but... I don't want you hurt, 'kay? And besides, I need to get used to jungle life... I'll go get some breakfast before you know it. Okay?"

Jewel's smile gradually begun to reform, as her mind slowly wrapped around Blu's point, and she drew him into her wings. She murmured something unintelligible.

"I love you, too," Blu said, before pecking her forehead gently. He gazed into her eyes, deep in thought, for a few seconds before he flew off, Jewel never turning her eyes away from her flying mate until he was out of her field of vision.

Sometimes I couldn't help but compare my future life with theirs- this would be it. The future with Ronaldo meant waking up in the morning with your mate sprawled all over you, being greeted in the morning with a kiss, having him provide for you in every way possible... That was what I would want, I figured. A life of love, a life with your soul mate, a life where tears didn't exist and you would never grow cold or hungry... a life of perfection.

But sometimes, in all that love really is, we truly forget that life is never perfect. This is why I have no idea whether to unravel my true emotions like it was on display, whether to let my friendship with Ronaldo stand on the edge of destruction, whether to expose everything and risk a catastrophe... which is why I fly off in the opposite direction.

...before taking a U-turn of course... to make it such that I hadn't been spying on the couple. The courage rekindled in my soul... I had to try, at least. I could never socially interact with anybody to save my life, let alone to reveal my love for Ronaldo... but it was worth a shot. It may have been possible that my emotions were reciprocated back to me.

In fact, considering how much he tends to me and the way he's devoted to me, I might have hypothesized that it wasn't just possible, it exists.

On hindsight, it hadn't been a good idea to charge into a knothole, where there was only one bird present. The audible flapping of wings startled Jewel, who yelped sharply and turned around at the intruder in a fighting stance.

"Jewel," I said, perching myself in front of her, and she dropped her stance.

"Oh... it's only you Lisa," she muttered flatly, and she heaved a sigh of relief. "If you're wondering where Blu went, he just flew off to get me breakfast, so... yeah."

"I see." It wasn't until I said it that I realised the double-meaning laced into that sentence- I did see Blu fly off, in fact... thankfully she didn't realise it.

There was an awkward pause. "Well, is there something you want to ask me?" Jewel asked, breaking the thread of silence.

"Well..." I randomly sketched invisible patterns in the wood of the hollow with my talon. "I... I need to talk to you about something. It's... it's about Ronaldo."

Jewel diverted her full attention towards me. "What about my brother?"

"Well... I... um..." I struggled through my vocabulary. What would one say when telling another person of your romantic feelings towards somebody else? How would one phrase such life-changing emotions... in just mere words? My brain swam with words.

"Is there something wrong with him?" Jewel cut in. "Is he hurt?"

"No, nothing of the sort," I assured. I mustered up whatever remnant of courage I had. "It's just that... that... it's about me and him. I don't know how to say this... I... I sort of... sort of h-have..."

"A crush?" Jewel stole the words from my beak. Her face was not of complete and utter shock, but rather perplexity and pleasant surprise. "You like him?"

The temperature in my cheeks peaked. Is this what it felt like? The hot shame searing through your body as you expose your romantic attraction for somebody else...the complete unwillingness to tell of your inner vulnerabilities? I would rather have the capacity to hold these repressed emotions rather than expose them... they made you weak, flawed and imperfect.

I remained silent.

A smile crept onto Jewel's face. "Ah... you want to admit your feelings to him, but you don't how to, right?"

I shuffled my talon again. I felt like an open book, easy to predict and read... letting the other party plan against you and being able to exploit them. Not that Jewel would ever do that... but any evil person could. Just by displaying your emotions and weaknesses to them, they would be able to find it, barrage you and sabotage you- just like that, no questions asked. They didn't have to conform with it even though they already do; they just exploit your exposés, as if it were the lock to the chest of your heart.

Not that I would do it, but still.

I licked the edges of beak, my head performing the ghost of a nod. I knew Jewel would either laugh at or rebuke me; it all seemed so ridiculous even to me... that I should ask how to tell another bird that I loved him. Even a mere practice- to another bird other than him- made me so ashamed of myself... it felt terrible, completely awful. I wanted to just crawl into a hollow and die...

To my utter shock, Jewel did not do either of the things. "Well why don't you then? It's not as if he'll bite you or anything."

"Yeah, but..." I sighed, exasperated. "I'm not... sure if he'll return my love. And even if he doesn't, I... I have a feeling our friendship might be ruined... It's just really difficult to come out with the truth."

"You'll never guess what I found, _querido_!"

At this point a male voice called and a flapping of wings could be heard, a silhouette of a bird hurled at the back of the hollow. I turned around quickly, a knee-jerk reaction, ready to apologise to Ronaldo for having found love in him and fallen in it, to apologise for committing such a heinous crime.

The startled expression quickly dissipated as I saw Blu's face, melting away in relief. In his talons were two relatively large mangoes, and on his face was a victorious grin.

"Apparently there's a mango tree not too far from here, and so I..." His eyes flinted to me. "Oh hey Lisa."

Jewel's assuring smile was replaced with a euphoric grin on her face. "Mangoes!" she exclaimed, a ghost of a glint in her eyes. Without hesitating, she plunged her beak into one of the fruits, disregarding the presence of other birds, and sloppily munched on it. "How did you know I liked them?"

"Ronaldo told me. He said at one point he suspected you had a fetish for it... heh." he replied, his tone exhibiting forcefully injected humour.

Jewel merely shrugged as she dug her beak in again. "Welf," she said with her beak full of mango and her face stained with yellow patches. "Ah fink Ah maat haff, aat one poinf. Feh."

Blu chuckled, the edges of his beak curving upwards and his gaze never wavering from Jewel's. "Hold on, Jewel. You've got some mango... over there..." –he gestured at an area of Jewel's face- "And there... and there..."

"Oh," Jewel quickly muttered, swallowing her mouthful and her wing ready to swipe off the liquid on her face. "I'm sorry I'll-"

"Nah it's okay... I got it." Blu said huskily, licking his lips as his smile morphed into a playful smirk. As he inched closer to Jewel, she remained still, whether either out of pure shock as to what he was going to do, or out of ignorance of it, I wasn't sure.

It seemed to be the latter, because when the realisation dawned on her, she flashed a grin, almost instantaneous as Blu planted his beak on Jewel's face, slowly licking away all the blotches of yellow on it. It was a rather intriguing operation, watching Blu's beak and tongue do its work while Jewel laughed uncontrollably.

"Hahaha! Blu!" she exclaimed, her voice skyrocketing some octaves as Blu swiftly gave his tongue bath, not missing a single portion of Jewel's face. He didn't stop, even though Jewel's face was completely clear. "Blu! Please! Stop! That tickles! Haha! We- We- Haha! We have a guest, hahaha!"

At this point Blu halted, frozen in position, as his eyes slowly darted towards mine. What ensued was rather comical- Blu retracted himself from Jewel, flashing a sheepish smile at me while trying hastily to ruffle his feathers back to their original position. Jewel shot Blu a see-what-did-I-tell-you look, smirking at his clumsiness that had immediately succeeded his attempt of... whatever mates did.

To be honest, it was rather amusing. One would find being in the presence of love awkward, but sometimes it was truly a spectacle. How they could kiss each other and hold each other in their wings, they could trust each other so easily and be so close to one another... love, at its best, was intriguing, amazing and stupendous even. It was truly a remarkable force... one that could do tremendous influence to anybody who wishes to indulge in it.

And from what I can see, it's a rather positive influence.

There was a silence that hovered in the atmosphere, as I stared at Blu and Jewel inquisitively, while their eyes darted all over the place, unsure as to what to say or do in front of a near-stranger.

"...so, Jewel. You and Lisa were having a nice chat just now... what did I miss?" Blu asked, meekly.

Jewel smiled, glad to avert all attention to another topic. "Well... um... Lisa wants advice. Love advice."

Blu did the human equivalent of raising an eyebrow. "Oh really Lisa? Who's the guy?" he asked ignorantly, taking a nonchalant bite into his mango.

"Ronaldo," I answered, a reflex action before Jewel could respond.

To be honest, I had no idea why this was so shocking. Be it by the fact that I have donned a mask of no emotion this whole time, or the fact that they knew something I didn't, I have no idea how this took people by surprise. A slush of mango erupted from Blu's beak as he started to cough violently. Jewel, of course, attempted to smack it out of him, of which was a brief operation as Blu managed to recover quickly from his fit.

His initial shock wore off quickly, replaced by an emotion that could be accurately described as ecstasy. "Lisa's interested in Ronaldo?" Blu exclaimed. "Well why didn't you say so earlier Lisa?" Blu went over to me, his face plastered with a fool's grin, as he used his two wings to shake my right one with more force than necessary. "Congratulations on getting together! We'll be there for the wedding!"

My eyes dropped, the awkwardness suddenly shifting over to my side. I shot a look at Jewel, one that begged for assistance to draw his attention away. Jewel obliged.

"Um, _querido_," Jewel interrupted. "Lisa's looking for advice. As to how to, um, _approach_ Ronaldo. She hasn't told him anything."

The smile on Blu's face faded. "Oh." He paused, his eyes making quick movements, from squinting, to having his pupils ricochet through his whites, to glancing at Jewel and then me.

"Well, then, Lisa should have a chance to speak, then."

I sighed, relieved, as he took a step backwards. It's always easy to see other people love each other, but to find yourself doing the same thing... it was weird. And when you have to reveal this and show to the world this, the reluctance draws you away.

"You see, I like Ronaldo... but don't have the courage to do so. I... I don't know what to expect from him. So yeah."

"Why?" Blu asked, squinting. "You're only telling him you like him. I mean, if he doesn't return it _and_ he takes it to heart, then, he's not worth it." –This earned him a glare from Jewel- "But you should at least be honest to yourself... and him. I mean, it's better to let it out now, rather than wait till he figures it out on his own, right?"

This was actually true, and it struck a chord in me. Feelings almost always never fade away- if you're generally a cheery person, you'd normally be happy. Grudges last forever, and sad memories haunt you for all eternity. If you love somebody, you'd still love him.

Of course, you're assuming that this person hasn't done anything to convince you your love is baseless... but still.

"Do you think he'll reciprocate it?" I asked, cautious.

"He might or might not," Jewel interjected. "But I really can't tell... he's really so cheery that you can't tell if he's sad or angry. He might be hiding it. I'm sure, though, that even if he doesn't, he'll still remain friends with you. I mean, that's as good as it can get, right? If he does, then you've got absolutely nothing to worry about."

I sighed. "Then... how am I even _supposed_ to convey it to him? It's... it seems so impossible. Like I don't have a clue as to what to say. I just... don't know."

If you haven't guessed by now, I have never been the eloquent bird. Not like Ronaldo, who could be so open and social to everybody and get their friendship like it was served on a silver platter. To be honest, that was probably what happened with Ronaldo and Jewel in the first place... but to be honest- how in the world was I going to tell him that I love him? How was I going to phrase this... in a way that I would win reciprocation?

"Don't worry, Lisa," Blu assured. "You'll know what to say. Just don't be random and blurt it out... you should just follow your heart. Let it do the talking... and just be calm."

"And besides," Jewel interjected, as if to pick up from where Blu left off perfectly. "There're really only two scenarios from there- either he reciprocates your love or he doesn't. And either way you'll still be friends with him."

I stared at them, beak slightly agape and frozen in position. Was love that simple? Was it simply like the icing on the cake, an addition to friendship? Your heart... apparently, it would do all the heartfelt speaking, as if it was an oral report... and it was only up the other party's choice whether to accept it or not. It wasn't a tangled issue... it was just a game of chance.

"Is... is it really that... simple?" I asked meekly.

"Well... of course not." Blu admitted, a frown faintly appearing on his face. "I mean, there's the relationship you and Ronaldo would have, when you embark on the journey of love..."

His voice trailed off, and at that point the doubts began to cloud my mind once again? I hadn't even considered the possibility if Ronaldo _had_ accepted my love... what would we do from then on? What awaited our lives as lovebirds? How would the world react... would they accept us? And what if Ronaldo and I confronted with obstacles... and broke up? What would we do? Love- love was like a sword... it could scar one for life...

Jewel picked up from where Blu left off, steering the pessimism into optimism. "But there's not a thing to worry about," she assured. "Because, after all" –she stared deeply and lovingly into Blu's eyes- "you'll always be right next to the one you love... and you'll be following your heart."

And just like that, the clouds dissipated. I watched as Blu reciprocated Jewel's look... and thought, how deeply they loved each other, how unbreakable their bond was. It went beyond some cliché romance or any surface-deep infatuation that broke under pressure and left shards... it was one that was so close and bonded that just being with the other lover made the future look like it was hopeful. Love... love was an amazing force to deal with, I realised. As formidable and unforgiving as it was... it could heal you, and it could make your life better. It could give you the courage and energy to move forward...

I smiled. I knew what to do... I would have to follow my heart. It was the only way... that I could let go of all my burdens of emotion, seek what I desired... and find love. "Thank you, Blu... Jewel... I... I don't know what to say..."

Jewel went up to me. "It's alright, Lisa," she said. "It's what friends should do, right? I mean... it's not like we have any reason to _not_ give you this advice, right?"

I nodded. It was strange, actually, that Jewel –one who had known Ronaldo for 15 years- had approved of my relationship with him, an absolute stranger about to launch into the realm of love for the first time... it was like she was so accepting of the things around her... that she could offer experience and advice to somebody like me. It all seemed so... surreal.

"And don't worry about it, Lisa," Blu continued. "You shouldn't be a stranger anymore; you should talk to us more often, you know... just to know each other better..."

There was a lot of truth laced into Blu's words- the fact was, one would always be estranged from the rest until you had the courage to enter a relationship... be it platonic or otherwise. I wouldn't be friends with Blu or Jewel if I had not decided to take the risk... and I would not know if Ronaldo loved me back if I decided not to confess my feelings to him. Relationships were all about risks, launching into something you never really knew the outcome of... but once you manage to maintain it, you would know how the rest of the future would turn out to be. With your loved ones.

And to be honest, risks are truly worth it.

And so when I flew out of the hollow, Blu and Jewel's assuring expressions on their faces, I plunged into an unknown world, filled with possibilities and wonders to be explored... and I knew that through all these things...

No matter what the result was, through everything, I would still love Ronaldo.

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><p>Hot shame pulsed through my veins, the regret swashing over me too late, as I practically barged into Ronaldo's knothole, without any warning or signal. I honestly didn't know what I was thinking, just speeding into everything without a care and jumping into everything rashly. It was just all a blur; an instantaneous transition from one point to the next... and now, here I was, facing Ronaldo, about to open the floodgates and spill my emotions to him.<p>

I attempted to adapt a poker face, as Ronaldo whirled around in shock, a short scream slipping from his beak. His frightened expression immediately melted into relief, then contented happiness as he realised that his so-called intruder was me. I could have kicked myself in the tail feathers if it weren't for what I was going to say to him...

"Hi Lisa," he greeted, as if invading his privacy of a home was completely fine. "What brings you here?"

"Well I..." I plunged into conversation too quick again, not sure how to phrase my statements. Sometimes life... life was like a video game. You know, where you could just visit anybody's house when you wanted, and you had options. Press A to talk about stuff. Press B to admit your love to him...

Nobody ever talks about the randomness of it all, though. Is it really kind of you to just tell someone you love him, out of the blue? You would be plunging him into the realm of love as well... was it really fair to him? How in the world would he react would be the question... and what was I to do?

Ronaldo waited without a complaint emerging from him, the patient bird he was. And so I took a deep breath, exhaling with the same amount of energy. It was times like these where I _knew_ why I loved Ronaldo. It was almost like a failsafe- if he rejected my feelings, I wouldn't feel offended... since he was the most gentle bird I knew. And he wouldn't blame me either... would he?

"Ronaldo," I said, trying to inject whatever bravery and determination I could possess into my voice. "I... I want to talk about something."

Ronaldo's smile lit up, that same grin that melted my heart every time it was flashed, the impishness and innocence of it assuring me that he wouldn't have the capacity to smash my heart into pieces. "Sure. What about?"

"Well it's... I... You see..." I sighed. There wasn't any turning back. I couldn't just rewind time and tried harder to repress my emotions... there was but one path to move on, and that was to send my love across to him. But how could I, when words failed me?

And that was when Blu's words entered my head. _You should just follow your heart. Let it do the talking. ... _

I sighed. My heart... it hammered against my chest, as if reaching out to Ronaldo, to my love. All I could think of was my emotions, and how they traced themselves to him... I knew what to do. I had to follow these trails, embark on a new journey and follow my heart.

To be honest- what was there to lose? I could be friends with Ronaldo no matter what the outcome was... and if he returned my love, life would be more hopeful for me. I knew that even in the deep ocean of life, where the tides and the waves crash upon you at any unprecedented direction... you'd still be hanging on to the one that you love.

And that was the life I truly wanted, the course I will embark on... with no regrets, following my heart.

And without another word to come between us, and without missing a beat, I pulled Ronaldo in for a kiss.

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><p><em>OK I know I'm a jerk for cliffhanging you guys, but still. It got too long... :L <em>

_Anyway, do I even have to say it? Review! It gives me A LOT of motivation to go on. I mean of COURSE I update ANYWAY but still I love it when I get review alerts. So go on:_

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	16. Deny Yourself

_**PLEASE READ THIS WARNING:**_ _I do not own, Rio, Blu, Jewel, or any other related character. I own the plot and OCs in this story, but all other characters and related themes are owned by Blue Sky Films and 20th Century Fox._

_Dear Lord I wanted to make this update come sooner... -_- Urgh. Never mind. Here's the sixteenth chapter; hope you guys like it, once again... I tried to make this a little different... and I was away at camp, so I REALLY hope I didn't like, deterioriate or anything... D: _

**FanficReader1234: Thank you! :D**

**richardthecao: Good grief... ok since you love it so much I'll just update it for ya. xP Hehe. Here you go.**

**olihmajor: -_- Impetus? Seriously? That's like... that sounds so out of place. Urgh. Um... never mind, thank you for reviewing anyway Olly. xD Hope this one was as strong as the other... :I**

**WordSPark37: Dude, that's like, the best review I have ever gotten. SERIOUSLY THANK YOU SO MUCH. C'mon, TPTP is an awesome story... one that's soon to be complete and blow our minds for sure. xD This... this has its own flaws... and yet to hear you say that it's such a masterpiece as you put, I... I feel so thankful... ;~; HERE TAKE MY CHAPTER. Take it... because it's guys like you that deserve it. :P**

**Chickweed001: Argh don't blame me Dx Blame Ghost for showing that video... and having my cliffie to make your adrenaline pulse... :S Um... never mind. Here, I'll resolve it. *poof***

**Storylover Vodhr – Dux Ducis: I'M SO SORRY. I can't get it out of my head... and it's already been like, what, almost 3 months? D: Argh... um, never mind. Thank you anyways. :)**

**No-Remorse81: Ok here... I've updated... (Um... NR81... I think you're aware of your issues with therobotchicken and WordSPark. Um... they've told me about it, and I hope you can just, you know, clear it up? Try to resolve it? They're both kind of mad at you, for... you know... :S)**

**Ghostofinu: OH GREAT. A pairing that's just as awesome as BluxJewel... I don't think RonaldoxLisa will ever come so close to that... -_- Um... never mind. THANK YOU! =D**

**Rapture at Sea: Isn't that what I try to do for most chapters? =P Hehe. And a 6-star fic? I thought that only existed on EQD... :O Haha. xP Ok here you go then... NEXT. CHAPTER.**

_Gawd I swear I might get some flak from this... just, don't think too much about it, okay? It's not really much about love than something else... :S Yeah..._

_Ah screw it. Here we go._

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><p>~Ronaldo~<p>

My first love was not Jewel.

I remembered when I was about 14 when I first laid my eyes upon her. Her name was Melissa... and I hadn't known what hit me- I just met her for a day and tumbled into the pit of love, a chain reaction. The day after I met her, my mind could not dispose of her, my heart raced when I thought about her, and any ornithologist could have diagnosed me with love-sickness. I never felt anything that spectacular before, the emotion of love.

I could remember every single detail about her- her golden feathers glimmering on her body, how skilled she was at soccer despite her petite size, her ranting about her loathe for being born a canary, her acute love for the tangerine we shared. Many birds might call it foolish or absurd that I could fall in love with a CANARY, but the fact was, I did. And you couldn't control love.

You couldn't control or try to manipulate the feelings of one towards another... because it probably won't change.

The day I met her was probably one of the best days, if not _the_ best day, of my life. But I guess... it was the day after that was my worst.

I must admit that I had been rather hasty, to present a bunch of flowers, nuts and berries to Melissa and ask her to be my girlfriend. Whenever I think of the time where I so rashly exposed my love to her, hot shame would ripple through my body... it was rather foolish of me, I guess, and common sense would've told me that she wouldn't like me back. Even though she was a great friend to me, it wasn't as if she would instantaneously fall in love with me. Love at first sight never seems to last, anyway.

Needless to say, I was rejected. It wasn't as harsh as most other birds would've done it, as if they were the kings and queens of the world... but my heart was shattered. To have love not reciprocated... it was like giving and not having it returned back, harbouring something in vain, having reality slap you in the face as if it wasn't harsh enough.

I remembered wallowing in sorrow, tears never seeming to stop flowing from my eyes. The whole time I could just picture Melissa's face in my mind, even though I wanted to forget her. I hated her, even though I loved her. It was probably the first time I cried so much in one night.

It wasn't until Jewel came, suddenly performing the role of the older one, and she tried to comfort me. I could tell that she was hurting too, by seeing me hurt. But eventually I was consoled, mainly because of her soothing presence, I conjectured. I had to tell her everything, all my stupid emotions, the agony of rejection... the foolishness of love. But when I did, she didn't reprimand me for my emotions or tell me I was to blame for everything... she made me empathise with Melissa.

Her argument was that if Melissa didn't feel anything, it was her own personal opinion and tastes, and that it is of this that I should not loathe her for. If she didn't love me she had the fine right to reject me. We could still be friends of course- but if she did not reciprocate my love there's no way I could force her to. It was hard to accept at first, that feelings were feelings and worked their own way...but in the end, Melissa and I remained rather good companions. Sure, at times I would gaze at her, wondering what the possibilities were if we were together, wondering what we would be if she loved me back... but the reality was, we were mere friends. And there was nothing more to it- that was the truth of it all.

I realised that if you don't love somebody, you don't have to force yourself to. You could always be friends... nothing more to it.

But if love turns into hate just because it isn't reciprocated... it wouldn't be fair to the other party, now would it?

* * *

><p>~Lisa~<p>

I had no idea what or how to feel.

One moment dizzying ecstasy was pumping through my blood vessels, my heart thumping like a hammer rapidly against my chest, and my beak having encountered the sweetest taste in the world... it was an extraordinary moment, no matter how short-lived it was, and it was one of the highlights of my life. To let loose your emotions out in one blast, and to engage in romantic activity with your loved one... it was as if some part of your heart was complete, as if your heart's desire was being fulfilled...

But such a moment was short-lived. The next moment, and after what could be deemed as bird-reaction time... I felt a shove. A feathered, muscular shove in front of me, one that repelled me away from Ronaldo, one that broke the kiss that we shared, one that originated from the one I loved in the first place.

And for a while I was just frozen in position, just staring at Ronaldo in disbelief at what he had just done. He himself donned an astounded expression, his body slightly trembling and his dazzling turquoise irises decreased in size yet drilled into me, almost accusingly. We both panted heavily, our pairs of lungs being two of the three systems that were deprived of something dear to them. The taste of Ronaldo lingered on my beak, and his touch on my wings... but they suddenly felt like blood, on the hands of a sinner.

I had no idea what Ronaldo was thinking at first- his expression was nearly impossible to decipher. He was in fact caught unguarded and astonished –on the boundary of frightened, even- ... but then the truth settled in. I had kissed him, an act of my love for him... and he pushed me. He simply shoved away what represented my feelings for him.

He didn't reciprocate them at all.

"Lisa..." he croaked, as soon as his vocal power regenerated. "What... what in the world was that?"

I stared at him, not knowing how to answer his question. The shroud of rejection still engulfed me, and all of me was fighting against it. When reality doesn't meet your expectations, would you really accept it as it is? Would you really want to have life slap you down on your vulnerable edge, leaving your heart shattered as you pick up the pieces?

Ronaldo's face betrayed everything- astonishment was written all over his face. He didn't even try to kiss me back- he just shoved me away, as if we were of the same magnetic polarity. He didn't show any interest at me whatsoever... when clearly he should have.

I remembered him once, telling me to go on that ship back to Rio de Janeiro. I didn't want to leave Lisbon, to be honest, to leave some place that you had your loyalty to move on to some foreign place that I didn't know about. Then I saw Ronaldo's smile, and he told me: '_Don't worry. I'm your friend, remember? I'll always stand by you, no matter what.'_

I guess that was when I knew that I truly loved him, and when I knew that he loved me.

Well, it turned out that you can't trust your own judgement sometimes. But I knew that from this, from his intimate friendship with me... it generated a spark, albeit as miniscule as it could get, a spark of hope that he might actually be in love with me, that he was merely denying himself.

Like how I had been denying myself the whole time I had been with him.

"Ronaldo," I said, the calmness settling in, as my breathing rate normalised and acted as if nothing was wrong, as if my heart hadn't been crushed into powder, as if I hadn't taken a metaphorical slap to the face. "I... I need to confess to you something. I... like you. More than a friend, even... I love you. I love you Ronaldo..."

Ronaldo just returned my confession, my spilling of inner emotions; he just returned it with a blank stare. He still panted for breath, although it was more erratic than before, and his vocal chords malfunctioned again.

"Didn't you hear me, Ronaldo? I love you. I... I'd do anything for you. I _want_ you... and I _need_ you. I... Could we be... more than friends then?"

Ronaldo exhaled sharply through his nostrils, and pressed his wing against his left temple. Why was it so darn hard for him to just admit that he reciprocated my feelings? Even if he didn't, why did he have to feel so _strained_? It was as if he did not regard me as a friend anymore, but a thorn to his side...

But I was offering him my rose of love. And every rose should have its thorns... or do they?

When Ronaldo spoke, he fumbled through his vocabulary, as if what he was about to say would injure my soul even more than it already was, as if no matter how he could phrase his words it would still damage me permanently. "Lisa... I'm... sorry. I don't love you... like _you_ love me." –the way he said the word 'you' was as if were the most contemptible word in the English language- "I... I love you as a mere friend, Lisa. Nothing more to it."

I refused to accept the truth. I knew by his strained expression he was only hiding his feelings... and some part of me rejected his reality. "I know you love me, Ronaldo." I mimicked his calm voice. "I know you feel for me the same way as I do for you... don't lie."

"I'm not lying," he snapped back, almost like it was a reflex, like how one would react if he was investigated for murder. "I... I just don't love you, Lisa. I only want to stay friends. That's the truth."

My temper shattered as fast as my heart, and I snarled at him. Why couldn't Ronaldo be so stubborn as to just reciprocate and expose his feelings as I did for him? Why couldn't Ronaldo just stop denying himself and avoiding reality- he did love me. Why didn't he surrender himself to the power of love as I did, and stop pretending?

"You're lying!" I snapped back, my volume skyrocketing and shifting several octaves. Ronaldo's gaze whipped back at me, as if I had exploded. "You're not telling me the truth! Why Ronaldo? Why can't you just accept reality and just tell me? _Why_?"

With every word my voice gained several decibels, and I took furious steps towards him. With every step I took he took one in the same direction, as if the distance between us was as close as it could get. His expression quickly changed from strained with a twinge of frustration, into something on the border of frightened and disbelief.

He was remained silent, staring at me as if I were some sort of monster. He opened his beak, as if to speak, but then shut it. It was as if he couldn't deal with me, as if he couldn't relate to me- the one that he loved so much and could just simply reveal his feelings to with no worries, no cares in the world...

If it was so simple for me, why couldn't it be easy for _him_?

I groaned in frustration, and suddenly pure contempt filled me. Clearly he was torturing me... clearly he was denying himself and me a chance at finding love, at a chance that we could be together for the rest of our lives... he was withholding all of this. For what only the stars know, but I knew that it was for selfish ambition. Why was he doing this to me, by suppressing his emotions when he knew that he loved me? Why did he do this?

"Forget it," I muttered, doing a one-hundred-and-eighty on him, turning my back on him in surrender and complete relent. "If you want to be that way, screw it."

And so I flew off as far as I could, while leaving behind a trail of tears, one that Ronaldo rode on as he entailed my path of flight. He shouted my name, trying to catch me, as if he hadn't already caught my heart before smashing it on the ground.

* * *

><p>~Blu~<p>

Jewel and I had settled a sort of alternating pattern, that we would take turns to fly around the jungle leisurely, to experience the wind in our feathers and the scenery of the jungle below us. Jewel had gone before me and when she landed back in the hollow she looked like a new bird completely. Energy radiated her whole body, and her smile could very well have stretched beyond the Amazon River. I could tell how complete she was just by a simple flight around the jungle [_"I would only be complete with you, _querido_," she had teased._]

To be honest, when Jewel was egging me on I had no idea what to expect. Would I crash? What if I did not feel the same exhilaration as she did when soaring through the air? What if something even worse were to occur? These thoughts raced through my mind... and they all dissipated when Jewel gave me an assuring smile and kiss. Sometimes that's all you really needed in order to make it in life, wouldn't it? To have the thought of your mate in mind... love solves all your problems.

So here I was, flapping my wings lazily across the jungle, the emergent layer of the trees blending together into one canopy, and I enjoyed the wind breezing past me as I cut through the air. It was less like adrenaline-pumping, freedom-embracing experience... such a feeling; I could not put a talon on it. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant flight, to have the smell of luscious vegetation surround you, to have the scenery of nature fill your vision. It was rather refreshing... to experience something new was a great experience.

"_GO AWAY! I HATE YOU!"_

The female voice that shrilled the air made me cringe and halt in the air, flapping my wings slightly to stay levitating in the air. Instinctively I turned my back in the general direction of our hollow. It was nowhere in sight, and I knew that I had flown way out of the radius of earshot, which gave me a sense of simultaneous relief and panic. It couldn't have been Jewel... besides, I would've recognised her voice.

My eyes quickly scanned around the area, only to be met with the same familiar blanket of green, the shroud of trees that stretched on monotonously. To have such an ear-piercing sound reverberate all the way such a distance that was out of eyeshot... it must have been a rather furious and heated argument. One of which I wished not to interfere in.

With a shrug, I continued my leisurely flight... only to crash headfirst into something in the air.

For some inexplicable reason I had expanded my wings in order to let the resistance cushion my fall, but my motor skills had decided to malfunction on me... so I unceremoniously plummeted into the canopy below us, falling into layers of leaves and vegetation while shrieking in terror before landing dully on the earth floor.

I was about to curse the abnormal height of trees mentally as my vision slowly regained focus, when I stared into a pair of scarlet eyes. I registered the facial features that the ruby eyes had been inscribed into, before my brain pulled two and two together and realised that I had crashed into Lisa midflight, and that she had landed right on top of my body.

As she awkwardly clambered off, I heard another voice faraway yell her name, a deep bass tone that I recognised as Ronaldo. "Sorry about that Blu," Lisa politely apologised, but my attention pinpointed on the navy blue speck that drew closer to the accident site. I quickly analysed the situation... and realised that Lisa, she was flying away from Ronaldo. She was screaming at him to 'go away' and that she hated him...

And then my face twisted in a puzzled manner, as Ronaldo perched himself next to Lisa and me, panting deeply for breath in exhaustion, while Lisa made no attempt to escape.

"Ronaldo? Lisa?" I exclaimed, still astonished, and my gaze flickered from Lisa –with her uncomfortable with a fair mix of irritation and rage- to Ronaldo –who sported a tired, pleading expression with a hint of confusion.

"What," I continued, my tone still marked with distinct astonishment. "What in the world is going on?"

Ronaldo opened his beak to speak, but Lisa intercepted rather swiftly, and she spoke with indignation and accusation. "_Ronaldo_ won't stop chasing after me. I told you" –she addressed Ronaldo, her expression still twisted in anger- "to forget the whole thing! Why won't you just _go away_, and make away with it, like you did with my heart?"

This served to pour in more confusion in me as Ronaldo addressed her with a fair bit of reciprocated irritation. "Do you seriously want to quarrel with me over this? I told you the truth already; why won't you accept it?"

"Why can't _you_ accept the reality?" Lisa shot back, her voice going up several decibels."Why can't _you_ just tell me you love me? Why do you have to _hide_ it and make me hurt? Why do you have to _torture me like this?_"

"I'm not telling you that because I don't love you like that!" Ronaldo exclaimed, reciprocating every emotion in her sans her love for him. And as they glared at each other angrily the flotsam began to settle and I could hypothesize rather accurately what had happened. I could imagine Ronaldo pushing Lisa away from the kiss, claiming that he did not return her love... For what reason I do not know, but here Lisa was seething with rage and frustration at the one who denied her love.

Lisa's mission, the one risk that she valiantly took by releasing the floodgates that repressed her inner feelings and soul, had failed, crashed and burned.

The silence was broken by one single sentence by Lisa, one so concentrated in acid and spat out in contempt that it sent chills travelling down my spine, vibrations that reverberated throughout my body icily.

"_I hate you_."

Ronaldo merely pursed the edges of his beak together and nodded at Lisa. His breathing became steady, and he inhaled a large volume of air before snorting it back out. "You'd think that way the moment you confessed you loved me," he stated matter-of-factly. "I'm impressed Lisa... I really am."

And before my common sense could recover in me, and before I could interfere, Ronaldo took to the sky and flew away, the consistent beat of wings slowly dissipating until he was out of eyeshot.

Lisa began to walk away in the opposite direction, her pace as sluggish as a snail's, and she hung her head in a gloomy fashion. Such times like this were reminiscent of those situations in those Asian dramas I used to watch. There was one that involved a husband who had a major altercation with his wife- he would angrily drive and disappear out of her sight, severing their ties. The woman however, she would crumple instantaneously and hang her head in sorrow or shame, and she would trudge away slowly with tears veiling her eyes.

It was as if she were denying herself that it was indeed partially her fault, that she was denying her feelings of being separated from her love, and that it was only when he was absent that she realised her mistakes and her longing and love for him.

"Lisa," I found the courage to utter, as I trailed behind her, trying to comfort her as sorrow and lost love overtook her emotions. The way she obscured her face from vision made it impossible to decipher her expression, and every time I called her name she only increased by nanometres-per-second, the chasm that separated us slowly enlarging.

"Lisa, please don't be like this... I know you're sad, but please," I pleaded, but she did not answer- she kept moving forward, dragging along her sorrow with her, and she tried to move faster.

"Lisa!" I exclaimed, as I abruptly charged forward in front of her, forcing her to halt in her tracks. However, on doing so, somehow she managed to spontaneously crumple even further, and by doing so caught me unguarded when she fell nearly completely to the ground at my talons, bursting into tears.

When she let her emotions explode in full force, I could do nothing but just stay there, paralysed, not sure as to how to react... what was I supposed to do anyways? It was a rather awkward silence, as I remained as motionless as a statue, with Lisa wailing at the top of her lungs as the only sound that resonated through the air...

If you were right next to a person who abruptly let loose her emotions in one burst, how would you react?

It felt like geologic ages had passed, twin waterfalls from her eyes that decelerated albeit slowly with every passing second, and her moans and sobs dropping decibel by decibel, until she was nothing more than a motionless body, her crimson eyes staring into space and she was empty of tears, sound, emotion, love and life. The silence sliced through the air like a blade, a blade that gave no mercy regardless of the emotions that bottled up or released.

"Blu," Lisa whispered, to the point where the keenest of ears had to strain in order to catch her words. "What am I supposed to do? Ronaldo hates me now... he doesn't love me anymore..."

I tried to wear my best comforting smile, but it results in a crooked, forced one. "Of course not," I soothe, although it is diluted by reality, diluted by the fact that Ronaldo might actually honestly loathe Lisa for such a trivial matter, for revealing her emotions. "You're still friends with him; he won't hate you just because you love him-"

"But that's exactly why he hates me," Lisa interjected, her flat tone completely resetting any form of hope in the atmosphere. She rose to her talons slowly, the energy slowly regenerating within her, and she stared at Blu lifelessly.

"Blu... I... I feel so hopeless... All I wanted was to find love," Lisa muttered, sniffling. Her eyes veiled with moisture again, as if her tear gland capacity was infinite, as if it was the only thing that could last forever. "But all I got was the opposite... now he hates me... and it's all my fault."

I draped my wing over her shoulder. "It's not your fault. He shouldn't just..." –I searched through my vocabulary, and scanned through the argument I had witnessed between two soul mates- "He shouldn't have just denied himself, and let you suffer..."

Lisa shook her head violently, shaking it out, shaking all her thoughts and emotions and fears off, even though they stuck to her like leeches. "But I was the one who told him I loved him... I... I shouldn't have been so _stupid_... stupid as to let him know my love, and end up letting him hurt me... I... I..."

At this point Lisa trailed off again, letting a secondary outburst of emotions as she crumpled onto me, burying her head in my chest and soaking it with her tears, her released emotions. At this point, I started to feel pitiful for her, and my heart reached out to her. Me and Jewel... we had no story. We fell in love, almost instantaneously, no hiccups in our love, nothing to separate us, becoming perfect as if it was too easy. If I had told her that I loved her... she would reciprocate my feelings, and the same ending appears, with both of us together, lover to lover.

But Lisa, she had to reveal her crush –something partially instigated by me and Jewel- to Ronaldo, and to be rejected harshly, to have him deny his feelings and let teardrops rain from Lisa's eyes like no tomorrow... it must have broken her heart, needless to say. Sometimes, reality is so heavy and harsh that it crashes upon one with the weight of the world, and you were forced to take it. You could deny it, you could try to evade and run from it... but the fact is, reality will always withstand, through and through.

If you loved somebody, you'd get yourself in a lot of trouble... no matter where it should go.

I couldn't help but offer whatever comfort that I could, to eradicate the sadness in her, to make her feel hopeful again. I put my wings around her in an embrace, rubbing my wing against her back to soothe her, almost like a child.

"Shhh," I soothed, as her volume began to plummet, and she was silent save for occasional sniffling and moaning. "It's alright, Lisa."

"No, it's not," Lisa complained with her voice muffled against my chest. "It's my fault for revealing my emotions... it's my fault for just not denying everything and trying not to hurt people... it's my fault that I had to ruin my own life and-"

"It's not your fault, Lisa," I said, with a degree of adamancy sufficient to make Lisa jerk her head up and stare into my eyes, as if in a trance of my words. I retained my assuring smile- one that I hoped would lift her spirits up, one that was all I could offer her as a friend and compensate for our advice that backfired on her. "It's not your fault. You were only following your heart... it isn't wrong in any sense of the word.

"In fact, I figure..." –my eyes drifted to where Ronaldo had flown off in a huff- "I figure that if you denied everything... you'd only hurt the other party even more."

I turned back to her. "You were only being true to yourself... and even if that's wrong to some people, it's not to me." -a ghost of a smile appeared on her face- "You're an extremely courageous bird, Lisa, and I respect you for that... it's just that some things might not go your way. But it's not your fault..."

A smile had fully formed on Lisa's face by then, a half-circumference that could tell all her emotions like it was an open book, and she pulled me into an embrace, one of which I obliged to reciprocate. Relief washed over me, now that I had managed to remove the sadness in her... one that she had burdened for so long, one that she had revealed to me and begged for empathy... and so I gave what she wanted to her.

"Thank you for that, Blu..." she said, and the corners of my beak began to curve upwards. There was a contented silence, one that didn't slice the atmosphere but instead drifted over us, one that assured us that everything was alright.

I pulled away, and saw the same joyous, satisfied expression on Lisa's face. "And don't worry about Ronaldo," I assured, glimpsing that her smile drooped slightly. "He'll reconcile with you... eventually. He can't hate you for just loving him... you'll still be friends. You should apologise though... just for him not to get too angry at you..."

Lisa pursed to the edges of her beak together, and she contemplated these words. Even though she knew that she shouldn't apologise for doing nothing wrong, and that it would deny herself, she sighed. "I guess I should..." she relented.

She turned to me, the jubilation suddenly returning back to me. "Thank you Blu," she said. "Thank you for not... for not denying me and helping me when I felt so heartbroken..."

I chuckled. "It's quite alright... I mean, what kind of a friend would I be?"

Lisa squinted, slightly sceptically. "You regard me as a friend?"

"Well sure. You, me, Ronaldo and Jewel... we're all friends. We should all be open to each other, talk to each other, share with each other... rather than just repressing and not being open, denying everything that comes your way."

Lisa pulled me into an embrace once again in gratitude. "Thank you Blu... thank you so much for that..."

And suddenly I knew that Lisa and I were going to be so much closer than before- we were mere strangers at first, tied by the birds that we loved in sibling relationship... but being companions, side by side... it's always great to have more friends, right?

I smiled, and I reciprocated her hug. "You're welcome, Lisa..."

She pulled away, and we stood there for a while in silence. My eyes wandered around, the familiar safari green and rich brown surrounding me, to the cerulean figure next to me that I could now relate with; from the earthy soil that we shared the same ground on, to the completely azure sky that hovered above us. A sky that was reminiscent of the tint of blue coat of feathers my mate wore, one that alerted the time as evening, one that signalled that roughly a couple of hours had passed, just like that.

Cheese and sprinkles.

It wasn't until Lisa spoke, with a form of reassurance yet melancholy hinted in her voice, that I realised that I had blurted that last bit out. "It's okay, Blu. I know you have to get back to Jewel... I... we'll keep in touch, right? See you later."

It was amazing, astounding even, that Lisa could immediately decipher the expression on my face, like she was a psychic or bonded to me, as if she knew what thoughts emotions swam in my mind, as if she knew me better than myself.

Then again, that was exactly what had happened to her, against the rest of the world.

Suddenly the image of Jewel reappeared in my head, and even though I knew she would not berate me or unleash her wrath against me... but it was only a duty as a mate to return to her side, to assure her that I wouldn't leave and abandon her.

I gave Lisa a fleeting look, one that promised her that we would be always be friends no matter what, that promised her that I would try to be there when she needed me... that promised that everything was fine. _Esta tudo bem._

And so I smiled at her briefly, catching a glimpse of her joyous-yet-sorrowful expression, before I flew off in the direction of my home, where Jewel –the one I loved so deeply, and loved me back in the same degree- awaited with open wings and all her love, and with a happier reality to escape to.

* * *

><p><em>SORRY FOR WEAK ENDING... my brain sort of blacked out there...<em>

_Anyway, um... hope you like it. Now I promise, next few chapters, I'll go with my usual BluxJewel stuff. Just... yeah. xS Hope you don't look at it too analytically... although... there is something. Something a little ironic... but never mind._

_...Pwease weview... I wike weviews. PWEASE? ... ... ..._

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	17. Author's Note

Guys, I know it's illegal to put an author's note as a chapter, but bear with me for a while. You should know something, something... important.

My inspiration tap for this story... has come to a shutdown. I've pretty much gotten myself in a writing block for this story as a whole, and if I were to force the whole thing out... it would take a decade, quite literally, for this story to be done. And by that time I don't know if I'll have the energy to move on with this story.

Which is why I mentioned on the Rio forum, in case you guys don't check it, since A/Ns are illegal chapters, that I was partially discontinuing it. If I were to write any chapter at all it might've taken ages... like I tried writing a few weeks back, then threw it away. I couldn't go on.

Right now I'm making the decision I know I said I wouldn't make. I'm not writing this story anymore.

I want to apologise to everybody, everywhere who have been anticipating for the next chapter. It's really beyond me to go on, really, and I'm really, very, so sorry to all of you, for breaking the promise that I'd finish this. But not everything can last, and I'm sorry. By the time I finish this story, which might take forever, I might be too busy to even think about this story anymore. And so once again, I'm sorry.

But there's another part. therobotchicken had suggested later that I pass it on to somebody who could carry on this story so as not to disappoint you all. And I went to the first person I knew, my good friend, Rapture at Sea, still one of the, if not simply the, best writer in this archive. I asked him if he'd like to write this story for me...

And he agreed.

Right now I'd like to shout out to him and thank him for taking this task for me. It's really an honour and I apologise for the trouble. I couldn't think of anybody else better to take this on for me. Thanks, Rapture, so much, and I have complete faith in you that you can do this and make this better than it already is.

I don't know how you all will respond. I'm sorry for being... rather irresponsible, with this story, I really am. But I really can't think anymore, but Rapture is an abundance of good writing along with inspiration, which is why I have complete faith in him that he'll finish this story in good time for you guys to enjoy and savour.

I hope you all can understand though, because my situation over here, well, I'm sure most of you can relate. I'm sorry for all the trouble caused and everything, but I'd just like to say thank you all for reading the 16 chapters I've posted and those who have followed me to this day. Right now I think it's only appropriate that somebody as talented as Rapture can carry this on and continue this story, and I think he'll do a better job than me in this story for the time to come.

Goodbye, guys, it's been fun writing this story, and it's been fun writing for you all. I'm sorry for the promises broken, but I assure you Rapture will do a much better job in this story than me, and you'll still be able to read and enjoy this story. I'll delete this chapter in a week, so please bear with me. But for now, bye... everybody...


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